GlossaryEMA 50

EMA 50

The EMA 50 is an exponential average over the chart's last 50 candles. It shows the medium-term trend and separates corrections from trend changes.

Calculation

EMAt=α Ct+(1−α) EMAt−1,α=250+1≈0.039\mathrm{EMA}_t = \alpha\,C_t + (1-\alpha)\,\mathrm{EMA}_{t-1}, \qquad \alpha = \frac{2}{50+1} \approx 0.039

CtC_t is the close of candle tt. The first value is the average of the first 50 closes; after that, each new candle enters with about 3.9%. It is calculated on the chart's candles: a little over eight days on the 4H chart, 50 days on the daily chart. The current candle counts at its current price.

What it is used for

  • As a medium-term trend filter: above a rising EMA 50, the trend is considered intact, and pullbacks to it a normal correction.
  • As support or resistance, where deeper pullbacks in a trend often stop.
  • In crossovers: with the EMA 20 for the short-term change, with the EMA 200 for the golden and death cross.

A close below an EMA 50 that has turned down is a much more serious signal than one below the EMA 20.

Settings

SettingDefaultEffect
Length501–500 candles. The menu name stays, the line label shows the new length.
Tip For an EMA on a fixed timeframe, such as 50 days on the 4H chart, use the Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and its Timeframe setting.

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