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Lesson 4 of 5 · 4 min read

Moving average

Stripping out the noise to see the real trend.

What is an MA?

A moving average (MA) averages the price over X periods (e.g. 50 or 200 days). The line is smoother than the price and shows the underlying direction.

PriceMA (average)
The moving average (MA) smooths out the noise and shows the underlying trend.

How traders use it

Price above the 200-day MA = often seen as 'long-term bullish'. A short MA crossing above a long one (golden cross) is viewed as positive; the reverse (death cross) as negative.

Watch out

MAs are 'lagging' — they react after the move. They confirm a trend, they don't predict. Use them as a tool, not as a crystal ball.

Remember this

  • An MA averages the price over X periods and makes the trend visible.
  • Price above the 200-day MA is often considered long-term bullish.
  • Golden cross = positive, death cross = negative signal.
  • MAs are 'lagging': they confirm a trend, they don't predict.

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Moving average