Momentum indicators measure the rate of change in price — not just direction but acceleration and deceleration. They're most useful for timing entries within trends and for spotting divergences that warn of exhaustion before the reversal is obvious.
MACD = 12-day EMA minus 26-day EMA. A 9-day EMA of that result (the "signal line") generates crossover signals. The histogram shows the gap between the two lines.
Bollinger Bands plot a 20-day MA with bands ±2 standard deviations. Price touching the upper band is extended upward; touching the lower band is extended downward. The Bollinger squeeze — bands contracting as volatility compresses — often precedes a sharp breakout. Direction of breakout is usually confirmed by volume and the breakout candle's characteristics.
Compares closing price to the range over a set period (typically 14 days), oscillating 0–100. Overbought above 80, oversold below 20. The %K/%D crossover inside these zones is a more precise timing signal than RSI alone. Especially useful in ranging markets where MACD generates too many false signals.
Indicator stacking: no single indicator is reliably profitable in isolation. The professional approach is confluence — MACD giving a buy signal, RSI bouncing off oversold, price at Fibonacci support, on above-average volume. Four signals pointing the same direction is far stronger than one. The more filters you add, the fewer but more reliable signals you get.
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