By comparing EMAs of different lengths, the MACD series gauges changes in the trend of a stock. The difference between the MACD series and its average is claimed to reveal subtle shifts in the strength and direction of a stock’s trend. It may be necessary to correlate the signals with the MACD to indicators like RSI power.

For example, the MACD (5,35,5) is more sensitive and might be better suited for weekly charts. The strength of the move is what determines the duration of Signal Line Crossover. Understanding and being able to analyze move strength, as well as being able to recognize false signals, is a skill that comes with experience.

RSI Indicator: How to Use, Best Settings, Buy and Sell Signals

With sufficient time and experience, almost anybody who wants to analyze chart data should be able to make good use out of the MACD. Bearish Divergence occurs when price records a higher high while the MACD records a lower high. Simply put, divergence is when the MACD and actual price are not in agreement.

Conversely, when the MACD line crosses below the signal line it provides a bearish sell signal. The two lines within the indicator may look like simple moving averages (SMAs), but they are in fact layered exponential moving averages (EMAs). The main, slower line is the MACD line, while the faster line is the signal line. The MACD indicator, despite being one of the first indicators to be developed, is still widely used in today’s modern markets due to its effectiveness. One of the core reasons it has remained at the forefront of technical analysis​ portfolios is its ability to predict potential market direction in conjunction with price action.

Type of Indicator

The MACD histogram is above 0 when the 12-period MA is above the 26-period MA and below 0 when the shorter MA is below the longer MA. As a result, positive values of the histogram point at a bullish trend, while negative values mean a downtrend. MACD centerline (0) crossovers happen when the EMA 12 and EMA 26 cross over. So when the faster moving average (EMA 12) crosses above the slower (EMA 26), that’s a Buy signal, and vice versa. Moving average crossovers are commonly used trend indicators but are not good momentum indicators.

The MACD is about the convergence and divergence of the faster and slower moving averages. The longer moving average is slower and less reactive to price changes. The MACD Line moves above and below the zero line – also known as the centerline. The direction, of course, depends on the direction of the moving average cross.

Table of Contents

A faster MA is defined as one that is calculated over a smaller number of periods. Calculated MAs are subsequently plotted on the charts and are usually overlaid on top of the price action. Typically, investors use the 9-day exponential moving average of the MACD itself as the signal line. The MACD is a lower indicator, meaning it usually appears as a separate chart below a stock chart. It has multiple components, so we’ll break them down one at a time before showing how they can be used together to determine buy and sell signals. Then we are waiting for the signal expressed as the simultaneous decline in the histogram and signs of a reversal of the MACD line.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar. Discover the range of markets and learn how they work – with IG Academy’s online course. Seeing how the MACD line is calculated can help you understand why. In order to filter by MACD indicators, select the required screener and click on the rightmost button with three dots. The entry point is the moment the first green bar appears on the diagram.

What Is the MACD Indicator, and How Does It Work?

This can be used to predict major market moves before they happen. For users familiar with MacD, the blue line is similar to the MacD line and the orange line the signal. Use 30 min tf for MACD bullish or bearish crossover it works really well. Once the market opens first check on 30 min tf and then decide whether the market is bullish or bearish . If the market is flat for few days then use 4hr tf it works amazingly well.

• Lawrence has served as an expert witness in a number of high profile trials in US Federal and international courts.
• By comparing EMAs of different lengths, the MACD series gauges changes in the trend of a stock.
• In mid-February, the MACD moved further into negative territory as the 12-day EMA diverged further from the 26-day EMA.
• These are also referred to as an MACD bearish crossover​​ or a MACD bullish crossover, depending on which way the price heads.

Notice how SPY continued its series of higher highs and higher lows. Remember, upside momentum is stronger than downside momentum as long as the MACD is positive. The MACD (momentum) may have been less positive (strong) as the advance extended, but it was still largely positive. Bearish divergences are commonplace in a strong uptrend, while bullish divergences occur often in a strong downtrend.

In other words, if prices are making higher highs (in an uptrend) and the MACD makes corresponding higher highs, then we have convergence. Convergence of the MACD with price action confirms the strength, direction, and momentum of a trend. If the MACD moves in the opposite direction, making lower highs as price is making higher highs, then we have negative divergence. Divergence with price action indicates the potential weakening or possible reversal of a trend. The MACD can provide a visual snapshot to help analyse trends, allowing traders to scan charts rapidly. Learn how to interpret and use the MACD for technical trading on our Next Generation platform​.

This way it turns a trend-following indicator into the momentum one and combines the features of both. This strategy uses the MACD indicator to determine buy and sell signals. The TrueLevel Bands are calculated for 14 different lengths and are plotted on… This script calculates the convergence divergence and breakouts from the deviations for a fast and slow linear regression slope.

Pros and cons of using MACD

Below I will compare it with popular technical indicators, describe the advantages and disadvantages, and also touch on the topic of combining indicators. These settings of the MACD indicator for the M1 timeframe can be applied either separately or together if the trading strategy involves the use of several charts macd interpretation at once. The first option of parameters is the most sensitive to price fluctuations, and the last one is the least sensitive. Please note that all three types of settings do not involve the flattening of the signal line. In the above chart, the colored areas mark different behavioral patterns of the MACD histogram.