Hey BL, why do gaps actually 'have' to get filled? Serious question - is it just a technical nicety or is there a theory behind it?
Breakaway gaps usually happen on a solid news/earning report etc. These are not usually filled. They normally act as support. Because it happens on high volume and company directive made a substantial change/improvement. This is when key instos and market movers get in, and then retail catches on.
Other gaps such as runaway gaps and exhaustion gaps are usually filled. Those are the two gaps that occur when the stock is making a substantial move. This is because traders jump in after the initial pull back, and now they want a piece of action.
Runaway gaps can be multiple, if you look at BRN chart of January 2022 you can see multiple runaway gaps. Exhaustion gaps occur at the end of a spectacular run and is usually characterised by volume, along with a doji/shooting star candle etc. Usually means, everyone who is bullish is already bought in, and now there is no one to buy stock anymore.
Every gap does NOT need to be filled, but runaway gaps and exhaustion gaps are likely to be filled than Breakaway gaps if that makes sense?
Plenty of theories around, obviously nothing is 100% accurate, but I have seen this play out in a few shares last year.