How the indicator works#
MACD is the fast EMA minus the slow EMA. The signal line is an EMA of the MACD series, and the histogram is MACD minus the signal line.
The MACD calculation uses simple-average seeds for its EMAs. Matching another chart requires the same history and initialization as well as the same periods.
Settings#
| Field | Observed form fallback | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Period | 12 | Fast EMA period |
| Slow Period | 26 | Slow EMA period |
| Signal Period | 9 | EMA period applied to the MACD series |
| Zero-Line Confirmation | Review selection | Whether zero-line agreement is required |
Fast Period must be below Slow Period. The signal period must be positive.
Warm-up#
The first complete MACD and signal-line pair needs slow period plus signal period minus one candles. At 12, 26, and 9, that is 34 candles. The first valid value is not necessarily the first eligible crossover event.
Confirmation and execution#
A crossover with zero-line confirmation required can be filtered even when the lines cross. Inspect the selected confirmation option before changing other settings.
Targets, stops, contract selection, and trading windows are configured separately in the shared builder.
If a crossover does not trade#
Check warm-up history, the confirmation option, execution mode, start behavior, and the monitor's reason. Compare equivalent candle timestamps when using an external chart.
Related guides#
Continue with risk controls, start and stop, or feature availability.