What Is MACD? - Moving Average Convergence/Divergence - Fidelity (2024)

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What Is MACD? - Moving Average Convergence/Divergence - Fidelity? ›

The Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) indicator shows the relationship between 2 moving averages of prices. MACD is derived by dividing one moving average by another. It is based on the point spread difference between 2 exponential moving averages of the closing price.

Description. The Moving Average Convergence/Divergence indicator is a momentum oscillator primarily used to trade trends. Although it is an oscillator, it is not typically used to identify over bought or oversold conditions. It appears on the chart as two lines which oscillate without boundaries.

Short-term buy-and-sell signals are generated by the MACD line and the signal line. If the MACD line crosses above the signal line, this may be interpreted as a buy signal. Alternatively, if the MACD line crosses below the signal line, this may be interpreted as a sell signal.

MACD is a trend-following momentum indicator that shows the relationship between two moving averages of a security's price. Traders use the MACD to identify entry and exit points for trades. MACD is used by technical traders in stock, bond, commodities, and FX markets.

Some popular combinations are the MACD with the MFI or TRIX, but the most popular combination is MACD with Bollinger Bands. All of this is to say that the settings for the MACD are important, but there are other considerations that will be of greater help when creating a successful day trading strategy.

For daily charts, many traders find the default MACD settings (12, 26, 9) to be very effective. This timeframe captures the broader market trends and helps filter out market noise. Combine MACD with other indicators like RSI or Bollinger Bands when analyzing a 1-day chart for a more comprehensive market view.

The standard setting for MACD is the difference between the 12- and 26-period EMAs. Chartists looking for more sensitivity may try a shorter short-term moving average and a longer long-term moving average. MACD(5,35,5) is more sensitive than MACD(12,26,9) and might be better suited for weekly charts.

As shown on the following chart, when MACD falls below the signal line, it is a bearish signal indicating that it may be time to sell. Conversely, when MACD rises above the signal line, the signal is bullish, suggesting that the asset's price might experience upward momentum.

The use of the values 12 and 26 in the MACD calculation is a historical choice that has become widely accepted in technical analysis. The number 12 represents the shorter-term exponential moving average (EMA), capturing shorter price trends, while 26 represents the longer-term EMA, capturing longer price trends.

The MACD indicator is a trend-following momentum instrument that uses a security's price moving averages (typically 12-day and 26-day EMAs) to pinpoint market trends and momentum, with the incorporation of the MACD line, signal line, and histogram.

What is a better indicator than MACD? ›

Relative Strength Index (Rsi) Indicator Explained

When it comes to identifying overbought and oversold conditions in the market, RSI performs better than MACD. RSI also generates signals based on the asset's price action, making it a reliable tool for traders looking to buy low and sell high or vice versa.

The strategy is to buy – or close a short position – when the MACD crosses above the zero line, and sell – or close a long position – when the MACD crosses below the zero line. This method should be used carefully, as the delayed nature means that fast, choppy markets would often see the signals issued too late.

Increasing the number of periods for the signal line will reduce the number of crossover signals, helping avoid false signals. However, trade signals will occur later than they would with a shorter signal line EMA. The indicator can be applied to any timeframe, but it's preferable to choose those from H1 and bigger.

The numbers on the right of the MACD indicator chart are its settings. The default values are (12, 26, and 9) – 12 for the shorter EMA, 26 for the longer EMA, and 9 for the signal line. Depending on the trading software, as you are moving through the chart, on the right, you can also see their current values.

MACD with PRC has a 90% success rate. A stock's moving averages should at least approach one another, if not cross, before you act on that stock. MACDs rely on three exponential moving averages instead of one or two. Look for patterns where the three moving averages come together closely.

The blue line is the MACD series proper, the difference between the 12-day and 26-day EMAs of the price. The red line is the average or signal series, a 9-day EMA of the MACD series. The bar graph shows the divergence series, the difference of those two lines.

When MACD forms highs or lows that exceed the corresponding highs and lows on the price, it is called a divergence. A bullish divergence appears when MACD forms two rising lows that correspond with two falling lows on the price. This is a valid bullish signal when the long-term trend is still positive.

The 12 represents a moving average of the previous 12 bars. The 26 represents a moving average of the previous 26 bars. The 9 represents a moving average of the difference between the two moving averages above.

One of the main problems with divergence is that it often signals a (possible) reversal but no actual reversal occurs—a false positive. The other problem is that divergence doesn't forecast all reversals. In other words, it predicts too many reversals that don't occur and not enough real price reversals.

Combing MACD with RSI:

A rising RSI indicates that a new upward move is expected in the direction of the trend, defined by the MACD. When the RSI buy signal occurs when the MACD is in a sell mode, it means that the next upward move is contra trend, thus increasing the risk of the trade.