Trading the MACD

winstonereed 2012-02-04 18:53:04 UTC #41

Sorry Kuam. I got the indicator somewhere on forex factory. You can probably find it by searching it there. By the way I stopped using it because it gave too many false signals.

Martin_Gochev 2012-02-08 07:21:05 UTC #43

The MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicator is probably the simplest and most used element of the technical analysis in the world. This is actually the difference between two Moving Averages – EMA (12) and EMA (26) are the default settings. If you are confused by this abbreviation, please refer to our Moving Average page, or if you need a quick reminder – this is Exponential Moving Average. Although this is a combination of two trend indicators, the MACD is a momentum indicator, because it illustrates the strength of the trend and the possible trend reversals.

TraderSan 2012-02-08 08:01:06 UTC #44

I don’t want to derail the OP, but I have a question regarding the MACD crosses in general.

I am currently working on a system where the MACD crosses 2 to 3 candles before the EMA’s I use, the great thing is that the MACD is purely an indicator of a possible future in the system, this is because the EMA’s don’t always cross they can actually diverge. This prevents those awful “Fake crosses” and keeps me in the correct direction.

With the testing I have been doing the majority of the time 10pips a trade is the magic number, sure there are long trends and then you can make 100+ pips but they are not often enough. So my question is, if the system can get 10pips on a 1:1 risk to reward ratio is that ok, or should I scrap my half tested system and go back to the drawing board.

Sorry if this is the wrong place!

huw123 2012-02-09 12:13:45 UTC #45

Hi TradrSan

If you can make 10 pips multiple times a day I would use your system- why stress out going for 100 pips in one trade? I beleive you are more than on the right path, happy to provide any help I can

sohel 2012-02-14 11:21:18 UTC #46

TraderSan:

I don’t want to derail the OP, but I have a question regarding the MACD crosses in general.

I am currently working on a system where the MACD crosses 2 to 3 candles before the EMA’s I use, the great thing is that the MACD is purely an indicator of a possible future in the system, this is because the EMA’s don’t always cross they can actually diverge. This prevents those awful “Fake crosses” and keeps me in the correct direction.

With the testing I have been doing the majority of the time 10pips a trade is the magic number, sure there are long trends and then you can make 100+ pips but they are not often enough. So my question is, if the system can get 10pips on a 1:1 risk to reward ratio is that ok, or should I scrap my half tested system and go back to the drawing board.

Sorry if this is the wrong place!

Surely, I would like to go for 10 pips multiple times a day… wish I could have the system…

ptumakili 2012-05-20 13:11:35 UTC #47

Hi vincejg327,
Please send me that your template to be alerting me when I should trade to avoid checking 4h and 1hr always.
Thanks
Pius Utomakili

winstonereed 2012-05-20 16:18:45 UTC #48

Sorry I don’t have a template

winstonereed 2012-05-20 16:20:33 UTC #49

Who was confused?

winstonereed 2012-05-20 16:22:28 UTC #50

Hello everyone. Just to let everyone know I am no longer using this method to trade. I am however starting to use Dinapoli’s method. I use the standard settings on the Dinapoli template on MT4. There are alot of similarities however one uses stochs in combination with the MACD to help with trade entries.

winstonereed 2012-05-20 16:26:29 UTC #51

I really can’t comment on your proposed system. I guess you just have to back/forward test it. I will say that the MACD is a tremendous tool to aid in trading but it is not as simple as it seems. It also needs to be used in conjunction with some other filter such as MAs or as I mentioned in the previous reply stochs. The stochs really help with the entry.

TraderSan:

I don’t want to derail the OP, but I have a question regarding the MACD crosses in general.

I am currently working on a system where the MACD crosses 2 to 3 candles before the EMA’s I use, the great thing is that the MACD is purely an indicator of a possible future in the system, this is because the EMA’s don’t always cross they can actually diverge. This prevents those awful “Fake crosses” and keeps me in the correct direction.

With the testing I have been doing the majority of the time 10pips a trade is the magic number, sure there are long trends and then you can make 100+ pips but they are not often enough. So my question is, if the system can get 10pips on a 1:1 risk to reward ratio is that ok, or should I scrap my half tested system and go back to the drawing board.

Sorry if this is the wrong place!

ptumakili 2012-05-21 04:31:54 UTC #52

Hi vincejg327, This is your write up that am referring to.

"I have been trading your system and I have been successful with it. Sometimes the best systems are the simpliest.

To stop bouncing between the H4 and H1 for any given symbol, I wrote an EA that will place the comment “Sell ONLY!” or “Buy ONLY!” on the chart so you will know which way to enter the trade when the MACD crosses “0” from the H1 Chart. An Alert message will also pop up when MACD crosses “0” too. I also have a template I use to add to the charts to set them up faster. I would be happy to send them to anyone who e-mails me".

cku 2012-07-26 08:36:39 UTC #53

Hello winstonereed
now u are no longer using this method of trading what den heppens to ur followers of which i am one
u want to dump me in the blue sea
so what next
chiekwu2003 at yahoo dot com
mail me
cos am behind you thanks

winstonereed 2012-07-27 18:37:40 UTC #55

Hello cku,
As my trading experience has matured I have pretty much left behind indicator based trading. Now I trade only pure price action based on s/r levels and specific price action candles such as pinbars and such. These methods are taught by James 16. You can find then at forexfactory in the James 16 thread. I greatly encourage you and anyone else to study TRUE price action and really learn how to trade. My trading has vastly improved.
cos am behind you thanks

FringFX 2012-07-28 04:50:44 UTC #56

Do you find it useful? if so, continue using it.
You should try to rely more on your abilities.

I also encourage you to study price action as winston has suggested. You can’t go wrong with that.

cku 2012-08-01 00:07:57 UTC #57

thanks
FringFX
i will study it for my own good

Elikem1 2019-01-31 00:43:42 UTC #59

Hi pls can you send me your ea for the macd use ?

Jonardanjordan9 2019-05-23 04:03:11 UTC #60

Great content. Thanks for sharing.