In the world of stock trading, I’ve discovered that there are numerous strategies and tools at our disposal. Over the years, I’ve experimented with various chart types and trading techniques, but one that has truly stood out for me is the Renko chart. The Renko chart has become an invaluable tool in my arsenal, allowing me to trade stocks profitably on a mid to long-term basis. In this article, I will share my personal experience and insights on how I have successfully used Renko charts to enhance my trading endeavors.
What Are Renko Charts?
Before diving into my journey with Renko charts, let’s start with a brief explanation of what Renko charts are. Renko charts are a type of price chart that emphasize price movements rather than time intervals. Unlike traditional candlestick or bar charts, Renko charts use bricks or blocks to represent price changes. This unique approach eliminates the noise caused by minor price fluctuations, making it easier to identify trends and reversals.
Renko charts are named after the Japanese word “renga,” which means bricks. Each brick is of a fixed size and is only plotted when the price moves beyond that size. This unique approach eliminates the noise caused by minor price fluctuations, making it easier to identify trends and reversals. By displaying price movements as discrete blocks, Renko charts provide traders with a clear and uncluttered view of the market’s movements.
The Appeal of Renko Charts
I stumbled upon Renko charts many years ago, and what initially drew me to them was their simplicity and clarity. Renko charts strip away the distractions of intraday price fluctuations, leaving behind a clean, easy-to-read visual representation of price movements. As someone who prefers a more relaxed, long-term approach to stock trading, this simplicity was a breath of fresh air.
Renko charts allow me to focus on the big picture, identify trends, and make more informed decisions about my investments. There’s something satisfying about seeing a brick form only when a significant price move occurs. It’s as if the chart itself is saying, “Pay attention to this.”
My Renko Trading Strategy
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how I use Renko charts to trade stocks successfully on a mid to long-term basis. It’s worth noting that my approach may not work for everyone, as trading strategies should align with individual goals, risk tolerance, and preferences. However, here’s a breakdown of my strategy:
1. Selecting the Right Stocks
The first step in my trading journey with Renko charts is to choose the right stocks. This is a critical decision that sets the foundation for successful long-term trading. I focus on well-established companies with a track record of stability and growth. Diversifying my portfolio across different sectors also helps to reduce risk. The key is to select stocks that align with my long-term investment goals and that I believe in.
I typically conduct thorough research into a company’s financials, growth prospects, and industry trends. This involves studying annual reports, financial statements, and understanding the competitive landscape. I also keep an eye out for any potential red flags or risks that might affect the stock’s performance in the long run. By selecting stocks with strong fundamentals, I increase the probability of long-term success.
2. Setting the Renko Brick Size
The key to Renko chart trading is selecting the appropriate brick size. This decision can significantly impact the effectiveness of the chart in capturing price movements. The brick size determines the sensitivity of the chart and how quickly it responds to price changes. I typically set the brick size based on the average true range (ATR) of the stock I’m trading.

The ATR is a measure of price volatility, and it helps me determine the right brick size for the Renko chart. A larger brick size is suitable for stocks with higher volatility, while a smaller brick size is used for less volatile stocks. The goal is to ensure that the bricks are responsive to the stock’s price movements while filtering out minor fluctuations that can lead to false signals.
3. Identifying Trends
With the Renko chart in place, my primary goal is to identify trends. This is the heart of my trading strategy. I look for a series of consecutive bricks moving in the same direction. An upward trend is characterized by ascending green bricks, while a downward trend features descending red bricks. This visual representation simplifies the process of trend identification, making it easy to spot and follow market trends.

It’s important to note that not all price movements are trends. The Renko chart helps filter out the noise and highlight significant price movements, making it easier to identify trends that are worth capitalizing on. When I see a clear, extended series of bricks moving in a specific direction, I know it’s time to take a closer look and consider my entry points.
4. Using Support and Resistance
In addition to identifying trends, I pay close attention to support and resistance levels. These are crucial elements of technical analysis that help me make well-informed decisions about entry and exit points. Support levels are areas where the price tends to find buying interest, preventing it from falling further. Resistance levels, on the other hand, represent areas where selling interest emerges, preventing the price from rising.
Renko charts make these support and resistance levels visually clear. The levels are marked by the bricks themselves, making it easy to spot areas where price movements stall or reverse. By utilizing these levels, I can set my entry points to buy when the price bounces off support and sell when it reaches resistance. This approach enhances the precision of my trading decisions and minimizes risk.
5. Confirmation with Other Indicators
While Renko charts are excellent at identifying trends and support and resistance levels, I also use traditional technical indicators to confirm my trading decisions. These additional tools provide extra confidence in my choices and serve as a safety net in case the Renko chart alone isn’t sufficient to make a decision.
One of my favorite indicators is the moving average, especially the 50-day moving average. This simple yet powerful tool smooths out price data over a specific period, providing a clear picture of the underlying trend. When the stock’s price is above the 50-day moving average, it confirms an uptrend. Conversely, when the price is below the moving average, it suggests a downtrend. This indicator acts as a valuable reinforcement for my trading strategy, helping me make more accurate decisions.

Additionally, I use indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) to gain insights into momentum and potential trend reversals. By combining the information from these indicators with the signals from the Renko chart, I can enhance the robustness of my trading strategy.
6. Patience and Discipline
One of the key lessons I’ve learned in long-term trading with Renko charts is the importance of patience and discipline. It’s tempting to make impulsive decisions based on the appearance of a single brick, but I resist that urge. Instead, I wait for a strong trend to develop, and I require confirmation from multiple indicators before making a move.
This patience is especially crucial in long-term trading, as I’m looking to capitalize on extended trends that can last for months or even years. Rushing into trades can lead to losses and missed opportunities. By adhering to a patient and disciplined approach, I increase my chances of success in the long run.
7. Setting Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Levels
To manage risk and protect my investments, I always set stop-loss and take-profit levels for each trade. These levels are integral to my risk management strategy. While Renko charts help me identify entry points, support, and resistance, stop-loss and take-profit levels act as safeguards to limit potential losses and secure profits.
Setting stop-loss levels is essential to prevent significant losses in case a trade goes against me. I typically place my stop-loss slightly below the nearest support level to give the trade some room to breathe while providing protection. The exact distance depends on the stock’s volatility and the brick size.
On the flip side, setting take-profit levels ensures that I lock in profits when the trade moves in my favor. I typically set my take-profit level slightly below the nearest resistance level to secure gains without waiting for the price to potentially reverse.
By implementing these risk management techniques, I can trade with confidence, knowing that I’ve planned for various scenarios and limited potential downsides.
Real-World Example: Trading Apple Inc. (AAPL)
To illustrate how I’ve applied my Renko trading strategy in the real world, let’s take a detailed look at my experience trading Apple Inc. (AAPL).
Selecting the Right Stock
I chose AAPL due to its strong financials, product innovation, and consistent growth. It’s a stock I believe in for the long term. The technology sector has always fascinated me, and Apple’s position as a leader in this industry made it a natural choice.
Before I even considered a trade, I closely followed AAPL’s financial performance. I analyzed its revenue, earnings, and profit margins to gauge its stability and growth potential. I also researched the competitive landscape to ensure that Apple maintained a strong position in the market.
As part of my stock selection process, I considered diversifying my portfolio across different sectors to mitigate risks associated with any single industry. Diversification allows me to balance my exposure to market fluctuations and make my investments more resilient to economic shifts.
Setting the Renko Brick Size
For AAPL, I set a Renko brick size of $3 based on the stock’s ATR. This allowed me to capture meaningful price movements while filtering out insignificant price fluctuations.
Setting the right brick size is crucial, as it determines how quickly the Renko chart responds to price changes. Choosing an appropriate brick size is not a one-size-fits-all approach; it should be tailored to the specific stock’s volatility. In the case of Apple, which has relatively moderate volatility, a brick size of $5 was optimal.
Identifying Trends
Over the course of several months, I observed a consistent uptrend in AAPL, with green bricks forming consecutively. The Renko chart clearly displayed this trend, making it easy to spot the stock’s upward momentum.
It’s important to note that not every stock exhibits such clear and sustained trends. This is where the power of Renko charts comes into play. They help filter out minor fluctuations, highlighting significant trends that are worth capitalizing on.
Using Support and Resistance
The Renko chart clearly showed support levels around $120 and resistance around $175. I used these levels to set entry and exit points, aligning my trading strategy with the chart’s signals.

Support and resistance levels are an integral part of my decision-making process. They are marked by the Renko bricks themselves, providing visual cues for potential entry and exit points. These levels serve as essential markers for making trading decisions that are based on price action.
Confirmation with Other Indicators
To confirm my trading decision, I relied on the 50-day moving average. The moving average showed an upward trend in AAPL’s price, reinforcing the signals I received from the Renko chart.
The 50-day moving average is a versatile indicator that smooths out price data over a specific period, providing a clear view of the stock’s trend. When the price remains above this moving average, it confirms an uptrend. The combination of the Renko chart and the moving average added an extra layer of confidence to my trading strategy.
Patience and Discipline
I didn’t rush into the trade, even though the Renko chart displayed a clear uptrend in AAPL’s price. I adhered to my principle of patience and discipline. Waiting for the right moment and ensuring that my trading decisions aligned with multiple indicators allowed me to make more informed choices.
Long-term trading requires a different mindset compared to short-term trading. It’s about identifying extended trends that can last for months or years. The impulse to act quickly can lead to losses and missed opportunities. By exercising patience and discipline, I ensure that my trading decisions are well-considered and aligned with my long-term goals.
Setting Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Levels
To manage risk and protect my investment in AAPL, I set a stop-loss at $120 and a take-profit at $170. These levels were carefully chosen to provide a buffer for potential price fluctuations while securing my gains.
Setting stop-loss and take-profit levels is a crucial aspect of risk management. A stop-loss level helps me limit potential losses in case the trade doesn’t go as planned. By placing my stop-loss just below a support level, I give the stock some room to fluctuate without triggering the stop-loss prematurely.
Conversely, the take-profit level at $170 provided me with a target to secure profits. It’s essential to have a predefined exit strategy to ensure that I capitalize on gains and don’t become too greedy. These levels are integral to my trading approach, ensuring that I have a clear plan in place.
In this case, my patience paid off, and I was able to ride AAPL’s long-term uptrend, making a profit while minimizing risk.
Conclusion
Trading stocks profitably on a mid to long-term basis requires a well-thought-out strategy and the right tools. Renko charts have been a game-changer for me, providing a clear and straightforward way to identify trends and make informed trading decisions. While my approach may not suit everyone, it has certainly allowed me to achieve success in the stock market by capitalizing on long-term trends and reducing the noise that can cloud judgment.
Remember that trading always involves risk, and it’s essential to have a risk management plan in place. The combination of Renko charts, careful stock selection, and disciplined trading can be a powerful formula for achieving your financial goals in the world of stock trading. Trading stocks is a journey, and by mastering the use of Renko charts, you can chart your own path to success in the stock market.