What is a moving average? How to use it?

22 Sep 2021

The Moving Average (MA) is a simple technical analysis tool that smooths price data, creating a constantly updated average price. The average value is taken for a certain period, for example, 10 days, 20 minutes, 30 weeks, or any time chosen by the trader. There are advantages to using a moving average in your trading, as well as options for which type of moving average to use. Moving average strategies are also popular and can be adapted to any time interval, which is suitable for both long-term investors and short-term traders.


The Moving Average (MA) is a widely used technical indicator that smooths out price movements by filtering out "noise" from random short-term price fluctuations.

Moving averages can be constructed in several ways and use a different number of days for the averaging interval.

The most common applications of moving averages are determining the trend direction and determining support and resistance levels.

When asset prices cross their moving averages, this can generate a trading signal for technical traders.

Although moving averages are quite useful on their own, they also form the basis for other technical indicators, such as the moving average convergence divergence ( MACD ).

Why use a moving average
The moving average helps to reduce the amount of "noise" on the price chart. Look at the direction of the moving average to get a general idea of which way the price is moving. If it is tilted up, the price as a whole is moving up (or has been recent); tilted down, and the price as a whole is moving down; moves sideways, and the price is most likely in a range.

The moving average can also act as support or resistance. In an uptrend, a 50-day, 100-day, or 200-day moving average can act as a support level , as shown in the figure. This is because the average acts as a support, so the price bounces off it. In a downtrend, the moving average can act as resistance; like a ceiling, the price reaches a level and then begins to fall again.

✅Let me know how do YOU use the MA, and what is your favorite indicator?✅