Momentum Indicator
Momentum measures how much a securities price has changed over a given time span. It is interpreted in the same way as the Price rate of change (ROC); both indicators display the rate-of-change of a securities price. The difference being that the ROC displays it as a percentage, whereas the momentum indicator displays the rate-of-change as a ratio.
There are two ways to use the Momentum indicator:
1.
You can use the Momentum indicator as a trend-following oscillator
similar to the MACD. Buy when the indicator bottoms and turns up, and sell when
the indicator peaks and turns down. You can use the short-term (e.g., 10-period,
red line) moving average of the indicator to determine when it is bottoming or
peaking.
If the Momentum indicator reaches extremely high or low values (relative to its
historical values), you should assume a continuation of the current trend. For
example, if the Momentum indicator reaches extremely high values and then turns
down, you should assume prices to probably climb higher. In either case, only
trade after prices confirm the signal generated by the indicator (e.g., if
prices peak and turn down, wait for prices to begin to fall before selling).
2.
You can also use the Momentum indicator as a leading indicator. This
method assumes that market tops are typically identified by a rapid price
increase (when everyone expects prices to go higher) and that market bottoms
typically end with rapid price declines (when everyone wants to get out). This
is often the case, but it is also a broad generalization.
As a market peaks, the Momentum indicator will climb sharply and then fall off--
diverging from the continued upward or sideways movement of the price.
Similarly, at a market bottom, Momentum will drop sharply and then begin to
climb well ahead of prices. Both of these situations result in divergences
between the indicator and prices.
Sharechart Default: 10 period, 15 period, 20 period