Moving Average Calculator
Calculate Simple (SMA), Exponential (EMA), and Weighted (WMA) moving averages from a list of closing prices.
Supports 5 to 200-period windows.
Moving Averages Explained
A moving average smooths out price data to reveal trends by averaging a set number of past closing prices. It is one of the most widely used tools in technical analysis.
Simple Moving Average (SMA):
SMA = (P1 + P2 + … + Pn) / n
Every period is weighted equally. Easy to calculate and interpret. Slower to react to recent price changes.
Exponential Moving Average (EMA):
EMA = Price × k + Previous EMA × (1 − k)
Where k = 2 / (n + 1) — the smoothing factor
Recent prices are weighted more heavily. Reacts faster to new information. Preferred by short-term traders.
Weighted Moving Average (WMA):
WMA = (P1×1 + P2×2 + … + Pn×n) / (1+2+…+n)
The most recent price gets the highest weight (n), linearly decreasing backwards. Falls between SMA (equal weights) and EMA (exponential weights).
Common period settings:
| Period | Common Use |
|---|---|
| 9 or 10 | Short-term momentum |
| 20 or 21 | Monthly trend (trading days) |
| 50 | Medium-term trend |
| 100 | Intermediate-term trend |
| 200 | Long-term trend (bull/bear market indicator) |
Classic signals traders watch:
- Price crosses above SMA → possible buy signal
- Price crosses below SMA → possible sell signal
- 50-day MA crosses above 200-day MA → “Golden Cross” (bullish)
- 50-day MA crosses below 200-day MA → “Death Cross” (bearish)
SMA vs EMA in practice: SMA is better for identifying long-term support/resistance levels. EMA is better for catching trend changes early. Most professional trading platforms offer both.
Enter prices below (comma-separated or one per line, most recent last):