Moving Average (MA) Setting Guide: Complete Analysis and Practical Application

What is a Moving Average? What are the classification methods? How to correctly set and use MA for trading? This article will delve into the principles, calculation methods, parameter selection, and practical application techniques of moving averages, helping traders master this fundamental yet powerful technical tool.

1. Definition and Core Concepts of Moving Averages

Moving Average (MA), also called “均線” (Junxian), is the value obtained by summing the closing prices over a specific period and then dividing by the number of days in that period. Its calculation logic is very straightforward:

Calculation formula: N-day moving average = Sum of closing prices over N days ÷ N

For example, a 5-day moving average is the arithmetic mean of the closing prices of the past 5 trading days. As time progresses, each new trading day replaces the oldest data point, and the process continues. Connecting these consecutive averages with a line forms the moving average chart we see.

The core function of the MA is to help traders identify short-term, medium-term, and long-term price trends. By analyzing the arrangement of different moving averages, investors can judge market bullish or bearish directions and seek ideal entry and exit points. It is important to note that the MA is one of the most basic tools in technical analysis, but relying on it alone carries risks; it should be used in conjunction with other indicators to improve decision accuracy.

2. The Three Main Types of Moving Averages

Based on different calculation methods, moving averages can be divided into three main types:

Simple Moving Average (SMA)

Simple Moving Average uses the most basic arithmetic mean. Summing the closing prices over N days and dividing by N is the entire calculation logic of SMA. Due to its simplicity and intuitiveness, SMA is the default indicator type in trading software.

Weighted Moving Average (WMA)

Weighted Moving Average introduces the concept of weights on top of SMA. It assigns different weights to prices in different periods, with more recent prices having higher weights, thus exerting a greater influence on the average. Compared to SMA, WMA can reflect recent price fluctuations more sensitively.

Exponential Moving Average (EMA)

Exponential Moving Average is a special weighted average that also gives greater weight to recent prices. Because EMA is most sensitive to price changes and can quickly capture trend reversal signals, EMA is therefore the preferred tool for short-term traders.

The key difference is that: WMA and EMA better reflect current market conditions than SMA, especially during rapid price movements. For most traders, there is no need to master the detailed calculation formulas, as trading platforms automatically perform these calculations; users only need to select the appropriate type based on their needs.

3. Parameter Selection in MA Settings

Classified by time periods, moving averages can be divided into ultra-short-term, short-term, medium-term, and long-term levels, each corresponding to different day settings:

Ultra-short-term MA

5-day MA (weekly) covers the average closing price over the past 5 trading days, serving as a key reference for very short-term operations. When the 5-day MA rises rapidly and is positioned above the 20-day and 60-day MAs, it indicates a strong bullish trend.

10-day MA represents the average price over the past 10 trading days, commonly used for short-term trend judgment.

Medium-term MA

20-day MA (monthly) reflects the average trend within a one-month trading cycle, closely watched by both short-term and medium-term investors.

60-day MA (quarterly) is based on the average of closing prices over the past 60 days, used to identify medium-term trend changes.

Long-term MA

200-day MA and 240-day MA (annual) represent price levels over long-term investment cycles. When short-term MAs are below these long-term MAs, the market enters a clear downtrend.

Key tip: Short-term MAs (5-day, 10-day) are highly responsive to recent price fluctuations but have lower trend prediction accuracy; medium- and long-term MAs (60-day, 200-day, 240-day) are more stable, though slower to react, and are more reliable for judging major trends.

In practice, traders are not bound by traditional integer-week periods and can flexibly choose based on their trading system, such as a 14-day MA (two weeks) or a 182-day MA (about half a year). The key is to find a period setting that best aligns with your trading logic.

4. How to Set and Adjust MA on Trading Platforms

Setting MAs generally follows similar steps across trading platforms:

Step 1: Enter the chart interface, where you will see default MAs (usually 5-day, 10-day, 20-day, etc.).

Step 2: Click the indicator tool button at the top right of the chart to access the MA settings page.

Step 3: On this page, you can:

• Add or remove any MA
• Change the MA type (SMA, WMA, EMA, etc.)
• Adjust the period parameters
• Change the MA color for easy distinction

Step 4: Besides MAs, platforms also support adding various technical indicators like MACD, Bollinger Bands, RSI, etc., for multi-angle analysis.

It is recommended for beginners to start with the standard 5-day, 20-day, and 60-day MAs, and then adjust or add based on familiarity with your trading style.

5. Four Practical Applications of Moving Averages

Application 1: Tracking Price Trend Direction

The most direct use of MAs is to determine price movement:

• When the price is above the 5-day or 10-day MA, it indicates a short-term bullish trend; when the price is above the 20-day or 60-day MA, medium- and long-term investors should be optimistic about the market and consider establishing long positions.
• Conversely, if the price remains below the MA, caution is advised, and short positions or observation may be appropriate.

Especially when short-term MAs are aligned above medium- and long-term MAs, showing a bullish arrangement, it indicates a continuing upward momentum; the opposite, with short-term MAs below long-term MAs, forming a bearish arrangement, suggests a continuing downtrend.

When candlestick closing prices fluctuate between short-term and long-term MAs, the market is in consolidation, and investors should adopt cautious position management.

Application 2: Catching MA Crossover Signals

After confirming the overall trend, the next step is to find precise entry points, most classically through Golden Cross and Death Cross signals:

Golden Cross: When a short-term MA crosses above a long-term MA (usually at a relatively low point), it is seen as a strong buy signal, indicating a potential upward trend.

Death Cross: When a short-term MA crosses below a long-term MA (usually at a relatively high point), it is a sell signal, indicating a possible downward trend.

For example, on EUR/USD daily chart, configuring 10-day, 20-day, and 60-day MAs, when the 10-day MA crosses above the 20-day and 60-day MAs, it can be seen as a buying opportunity; when it crosses below, it signals a selling opportunity.

Application 3: Combining with Oscillator Indicators

A limitation of MAs is lagging—markets often move ahead of the MA, which only reacts after a trend has started. Combining MAs with leading indicators like RSI, KD can effectively complement each other:

When oscillators show divergence (price makes new highs but indicators do not, or price makes new lows but indicators do not), and MAs also show signs of flattening or slowing, it often indicates a potential trend reversal. Savvy traders lock in profits or position for reversals at this point.

Application 4: Using MAs as Stop-Loss References

MAs can also serve as risk control tools. In traditional Turtle Trading systems:

• Long traders should trigger a stop-loss if the price falls below the 10-day or 20-day MA and breaks the recent 10-20 trading days’ lows.
• Short traders should trigger a stop-loss if the price rises above the 10-day or 20-day MA and breaks recent highs.

This method relies entirely on objective market data, removing subjective judgment.

6. Limitations and Improvements of Moving Averages

Although powerful, MAs have inherent flaws:

Lagging Issue: Since MA uses past prices, it inherently lags behind real-time prices. Longer periods increase lag.

Predictive Limitations: Past price trends do not guarantee future movements; MA reflects history, not future.

Difficulty in Capturing Extremes: Due to lag, it’s hard to precisely identify peaks and troughs.

Countermeasures:

• Do not rely solely on MA; combine with candlestick patterns, volume, and other indicators.
• Use multiple periods of MA for layered analysis.
• Cross-verify with RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, etc.
• Continuously optimize your trading system, as no indicator is perfect—only evolving strategies can improve.

7. Summary and Advanced Recommendations

The flexibility in setting MAs is what makes them powerful. Traders can customize their MA combinations based on their trading style, holding periods, and risk tolerance.

Beginners are advised to start with simple 5-20-60 MAs to familiarize themselves, then adjust as understanding deepens. Remember, MA is not a standalone decision tool but part of a complete trading system. Combining it with candlestick analysis, volume, and other technical indicators will unlock its full potential.

Before live trading, practice extensively on demo accounts with various MA settings and scenarios to build experience and intuition. Continuous learning and system refinement are essential paths to becoming a successful trader.