While trading in the stock market you must have come across a lot of technical tools that could help in making your trading better. Some of the most commonly used tools are technical indicators. In this article, we are going to understand what MACD is is MACD leading or lagging indicator?
What Is MACD?
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is a technical indicator that is widely used by traders in the stock market, forex market, and other financial markets.
It was developed by Gerald Appel in the 1970s and has since become one of the most popular indicators in technical analysis.
Here Are Its Components:
- The MACD is calculated by subtracting the 26-day exponential moving average (EMA) from the 12-day EMA. This resulting line is called the MACD line.
- A nine-day EMA of the MACD line is then plotted on top of the MACD line, which is called the signal line.
- The MACD line and the signal line are plotted on a chart, along with a histogram that shows the difference between the MACD line and the signal line.
The MACD is used to identify trends and trend changes, as well as to identify overbought and oversold conditions in the market. When the MACD line is above the signal line, it indicates an uptrend.
When the MACD line is below the signal line, it indicates a downtrend. The histogram can be used to identify the strength of the trend, with larger histogram bars indicating a stronger trend.
You Can Also Check Out Our Course On Technical Indicators For Beginners!
How Does The MACD Indicator Work?
MACD crossing above zero is considered bullish while crossing below zero is bearish.
When the MACD line crosses from below to above the signal line, the indicator is considered bullish. The further below the zero line the stronger the signal.
When the MACD line crosses from above to below the signal line, the indicator is considered bearish. The further above the zero line the stronger the signal.
During trading ranges, the MACD will whipsaw, with the fast line crossing back and forth across the signal line. Users of the MACD generally avoid trading in this situation or close positions to reduce volatility within the portfolio.
The divergence between the MACD and the price action is a stronger signal when it confirms the crossover signals.
Source: tradingview.com (chart: Nifty 50, Timeframe: 1 day)
Now before we dig deeper to find out if MACD is a leading or lagging Indicator, let us understand what do these indicators mean?
What Is A Leading Technical Indicator?
A leading indicator is a tool designed to anticipate the future direction of a market, in order to enable traders to predict market movements ahead of time.
In theory, if a leading indicator gives the correct signal, a trader can get in before the market movement and ride the entire trend.
However, leading indicators are by no means 100% accurate, which is why they are often combined with other forms of technical analysis.
What Is A Lagging Technical Indicator?
A lagging indicator is a tool that provides delayed feedback, which means it gives a signal once the price movement has already happened or is in progress.
These are used by traders to confirm the price trend before they enter a trade. These indicators are commonly used by trend traders – they don’t show any upcoming price moves but confirm that a trend is underway.
This tends to give traders more confidence that they are correct in their assumptions, rather than providing a specific trigger for entering the market.
Is MACD Leading Or Lagging Indicator?
The MACD is generally considered to be a lagging indicator. This means that it tends to follow the price of the asset rather than predict it.
The MACD is calculated by subtracting a longer-term exponential moving average (EMA) from a shorter-term EMA.
As a result, the MACD tends to be slower to react to price changes than other indicators such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) or the Stochastic Oscillator as they give more relevance to recent data.
While the MACD is a lagging indicator, it can still be useful in identifying trends and trend changes, as well as overbought and oversold conditions in the market.
However, it should not be used as a standalone trading tool, but rather in conjunction with other indicators and tools such as trend lines, support and resistance levels, and chart patterns.
Also Read: 8 Best Books For Intraday Trading – Top Reads For Beginners!
In Closing
In conclusion, the MACD is a widely used technical indicator that can be helpful in identifying trends and trend changes, as well as overbought and oversold conditions in the market.
It is best used in combination with other indicators and tools in order to make informed trading decisions. In this article, we understood what is the MACD technical indicator, how it works, and if Is MACD Leading Or Lagging Indicator?
Tags: How is MACD a leading indicator?, What type of indicator is MACD?, Is RSI leading or lagging indicator?, Which indicator works best with MACD?, Is stochastic a leading or lagging indicator, Is RSI a lagging indicator, MACD indicator how to use, Is RSI a leading indicator, MACD indicator strategy, Is MACD Leading Or Lagging Indicator