Technical Analysis, Studies, Indicators:
MACD Histogram
Back to the List of
Studies
MACD Indicators can tend to lag price movements. The
MACD-Histogram represents the difference between the MACD and its signals line
(EMA). As a rule a change in the MACD Histogram will usually precede any changes
in MACD and the MACD histogram signals can show trend changes more in advance in
comparison to the MACD signal. On the other hand it makes the MACD histogram a
less reliable indicator that may generate more fake signals. Very often the MACD
Histogram is shown on the chart together with the MACD indicator.
The MACD histogram makes centerline crossovers and divergences
more easily identifiable. Whenever MACD crosses the signal line (EMA),
MACD-Histogram crosses the zero line. If the value of MACD is larger than the
value of the signal line, then the value on the MACD-Histogram will be positive.
Conversely, if the value of MACD is less than its the signal line, then the
value on the MACD-Histogram will be negative. The
simplest use of MACD Histogram is using points at which the indicator crosses
the zero line. A buy signal could be generated as the MACD histogram runs above
the zero line (center line) and a sell signal could be generated as the
histogram runs below zero.
- Close short
position and go long when the MACD Histogram runs below zero.
- Close long
position and go short when MACD Histogram runs above zero.
Chart 1: S&P 500 MACD Histogram
Chart
| 
Bookmark this
