Direct answer
A worked example of candle close shows, with numbers, how you identify the close price of a candle (the candle’s final recorded price) and then use that value in a simple, checkable comparison.
It is called “worked” because every assumption and arithmetic step is stated, so someone else can reproduce the same conclusion from the same chart data.
Mechanism or definition
A candlestick chart summarizes price over a fixed period (for example, 1 hour). Each candle has several prices: an opening price at the start of the period, a highest and lowest price during the period, and a close price at the end of the period.
“Candle close” usually means the close price of a specific candle. Depending on the platform, the close may reflect the last traded price or the last recorded price at the candle’s end timestamp. Because platforms and data feeds can differ, candle close is best treated as “the platform’s recorded close for that candle,” not as a universal truth across all sources.
Evidence or example
Scenario with explicit assumptions
Assume you use a 60-minute chart on the same data feed for both calculations. Use two consecutive candles:
- Candle A (minutes 00:00–00:59): close price = 1.1000
- Candle B (minutes 01:00–01:59): close price = 1.1030
Define the worked quantity as the close-to-close move (also called the change in close prices):
- Close-to-close difference = Close(B) − Close(A)
- = 1.1030 − 1.1000
- = 0.0030
To express this as a percent move, assume the percent formula based on the prior close:
- Percent change = (Close(B) − Close(A)) / Close(A) × 100
- = 0.0030 / 1.1000 × 100
- = 0.2727…%
- Rounded to two decimals: 0.27%
What “candle close” adds to the example
This worked example isolates the candle end state. Even if Candle B had higher highs or lower lows during its hour, only its close price enters the calculation above. That makes the method easy to verify: you only need the two recorded close prices and the arithmetic.
Material limitation: the meaning is data-dependent
If a different platform uses slightly different timestamps, quote aggregation, or “last price” conventions, Close(A) or Close(B) can differ, and the computed change will differ too. Even on the same platform, later chart revisions (for some data sources) can change what looks like the close when you scroll back.
Limitations and risks
Candle-close-based comparisons can fail in several ways:
- Data source differences: Close prices may not match across feeds, brokers, or platforms.
- Timeframe mismatch: If candles are not exactly the same timeframe and session boundaries, you are comparing different periods.
- Market microstructure effects: Execution realities like spreads and gaps can make end-of-candle prices less usable than the chart suggests.
- False confidence from a single candle: A close value alone does not explain why prices moved or how likely similar moves are later.
Because outcomes vary with market conditions, costs, and execution, a worked numerical example should be treated as a demonstration of mechanics, not a prediction.
Verification or next question
To independently verify the example, do the following using your own chart data:
- Identify Candle A and Candle B using the same timeframe and exact candle boundaries.
- Read the recorded close prices for each candle.
- Recompute the difference (Close(B) − Close(A)) and the percent change.
Next question to clarify for yourself: which exact definition of “close” does your platform use (last traded vs. last recorded at the candle end), and do those conventions stay consistent across timeframes?