
Let’s start with a simple moving average (SMA). But should you use simple, exponential, or weighted? It’s a matter of personal preference, so try out different ones to see which works best for you. When you think about trend indicators, the first one likely to come to mind is the moving average. Is SPX trending or consolidating? Sometimes it’s easy to see, but not always, which is why it’s helpful to apply trend indicators to identify market conditions. Select the Charts tab and enter SPX in the symbol box.

To do that, bring up a chart of an index such as the S&P 500 on the TD Ameritrade thinkorswim® trading platform. The Big Pictureįirst, figure out if the broader indices are trending or consolidating.

How do you find that sweet spot? Consider using a top-down approach.

If you try to use too many technical indicators, you may suffer from “analysis paralysis.” If too few, you’ll stare at the screen without any conviction. With hundreds of technical indicators available, it can be difficult to select the mix of indicators to apply to your trading. Next, look for stocks that are moving in sync with the overall marketĬome up with a set of indicators to use for trending markets, consolidating markets, and breakouts When applying technical indicators, first start by looking at the overall market
