OHLC Bar Chart
An OHLC bar chart draws each period as a vertical line from low to high, with a tick on the left for the open and on the right for the close.
An OHLC bar chart draws each period as one vertical line from the low to the high. A small tick to the left marks the open and a tick to the right marks the close. It shows the same four prices as a candlestick, in a slimmer form that fits many bars on one screen.
- Category
- Technical Analysis
- Reading time
- 3 min
- Also called
- OHLC chart, Bar chart, Price bar chart
- Updated
Bar charts in plain words
Each bar is a vertical line: its top marks the high, its bottom marks the low, and a small tick to the right marks the close.1
An OHLC bar also shows the open, as a small tick on the left side of the bar.1
Bar charts carry the same four prices as candlesticks — open, high, low and close — just drawn as ticks instead of bodies.2
How to read one bar
Find the top
The top of the vertical bar is the high.1
Find the bottom
The bottom is the low.
Left tick
The open is the short line extending to the left.1
Right tick
The close is the tick on the right.
Compare ticks
Close above open is an up bar; below is a down bar.
Check the height
Taller bars mean a wider range; OHLC bars provide volatility information.3
Worked examples
Example 1 — Up bar
Up barA hypothetical daily bar: open 50, high 54, low 49, close 53.
| Range | 5 |
| Close vs open | +3 |
With the open tick left and close tick right, the close above the open shows an up day.1
Example 2 — Down bar
Down barHypothetical: open 60, high 61, low 55, close 56.
| Close vs open | −4 |
The close is the short horizontal line, here well below the open.1
Example 3 — Wide vs narrow
Range mattersTwo hypothetical bars have ranges of 2 and 8.
| Narrow | 2 |
| Wide | 8 |
The longer bar reveals a more volatile day, something a line chart of closing prices would hide.3
Bar vs candlestick
| Aspect | OHLC bar | Candlestick |
|---|---|---|
| Prices shown | Open, high, low, close | Open, high, low, close |
| Open/close | Side ticks | Body |
| Space | Slim | Wider |
| Colour | Optional | Usually used |
Where traders use it
Range
Reading daily Range.
Volatility
Gauging Volatility and Average True Range.
Levels
Marking Support and Resistance.
Charts
An alternative Trading Chart style.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Shows all four prices.
- Fits many bars on screen.
- Less visually loud than candles.
Disadvantages
- Open and close ticks are small.
- Harder to read quickly than candles.
- Colour rules vary by platform.
- Says nothing about volume by itself.
Going deeper
Read as far as you need. Each level builds on the one before it.
Anatomy
Beginner
Read a bar from top to bottom for the range, then check the right-hand tick for where it closed.1
Density
Intermediate
Bars are thin, so you can fit many of them on one screen without the chart looking cluttered.1
Volatility
Advanced
Because every bar shows the full range, OHLC charts reveal volatility that line charts leave out.3
Common mistakes
Mixing up the ticks
Left is open, right is close.
Trusting colour alone
Check the settings.
Ignoring the timeframe
Each bar is one period.
Reading one bar in isolation
Look at context.
Check your understanding
Test yourself before moving on. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Key points to remember
- Each bar is one period.
- Top is high, bottom is low.
- Left tick is open, right tick is close.
- Bar height shows range.
- Same data as a candlestick.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some bars lack a left tick?
Are bars better than candles?
What do bar colours mean?
Further learning
- Candlestick
The same data as bodies.
- Trading Chart
Chart types.
- Timeframe
What one bar covers.
- Range
High minus low.
Sources
This article is written in our own words. The sources below support the specific facts, rules and figures marked with a number in the text. Links open the original publisher’s page.
- StockCharts ChartSchool. What Are Charts? (opens in a new tab) Checked .
- CMC Markets. Trading Charts: Learn to Read Price Charts (opens in a new tab) Checked .
- StockCharts ChartSchool. TA 101 – Part 4 (opens in a new tab) Checked .
Educational content, not financial advice. Examples use hypothetical prices and simplified costs; actual fees, margin rules and regulations vary by broker, market and country. We are not affiliated with any publisher linked above. Last reviewed . Report an error or request a source credit.