cTrader Built-in Indicators Reference

What it does Uses three smoothed moving averages (Jaw, Teeth, Lips) to identify whether price is trending or ranging. When the lines are intertwined the market is considered ranging. When the lines separate and align the market is trending.

How to trade with it - Avoid trading when the three lines are tightly grouped. - Bullish bias when Lips is above Teeth and Teeth is above Jaw, with widening separation. - Bearish bias when Lips is below Teeth and Teeth is below Jaw, with widening separation. - Use as a trend filter, then take entries with your main trigger (breakout, pullback, pattern).

What it does Measures how recently the highest high and lowest low occurred over a lookback period, helping identify emerging trends and consolidations.

How to trade with it - Uptrend conditions when Aroon Up is high (near 100) and Aroon Down is low (near 0). - Downtrend conditions when Aroon Down is high and Aroon Up is low. - Crossovers can signal a possible trend shift, confirm with price structure. - If both lines are low or frequently crossing, treat as range conditions.

What it does ADXR is a smoothed version of ADX. It measures trend strength with less noise than ADX.

How to trade with it - Rising ADXR suggests trend strength is increasing. - Falling ADXR suggests trend strength is fading or the market is ranging. - ADXR does not indicate direction, only strength. - Use it to decide whether to run trend following systems or stay selective.

What it does Combines +DI, -DI, and ADX to show trend direction (+DI vs -DI) and trend strength (ADX).

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when +DI is above -DI, ideally with rising ADX. - Bearish bias when -DI is above +DI, ideally with rising ADX. - Low ADX indicates weak trend conditions, avoid trend entries. - Treat DI crossovers as context signals, not automatic entries.

What it does A moving average designed to reduce lag compared to standard EMA, so it reacts faster to price changes.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising DEMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling DEMA. - Use as dynamic support or resistance in trends. - Combine with a volatility or trend filter to reduce range whipsaws.

What it does A moving average that weights recent prices more heavily than older prices, making it more responsive than an SMA.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising EMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling EMA. - Fast/slow EMA crossovers can indicate trend changes, confirm with structure. - Use EMA as a trend filter and for pullback entries in the direction of the trend.

What it does An adaptive moving average that changes smoothing based on market behaviour. It becomes smoother in ranges and more responsive in trends.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above FRAMA and the line is sloping up. - Bearish bias when price is below FRAMA and the line is sloping down. - Flat FRAMA suggests consolidation, reduce trend trading. - Use it as a regime filter, then apply your entry method.

What it does A fast and smooth moving average designed to reduce lag while maintaining smoothness. It reacts quickly to price changes compared to traditional moving averages.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising HMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling HMA. - Use slope direction to confirm trend strength. - Works well for short term trend following and pullbacks.

What it does A comprehensive indicator that defines trend direction, momentum, and key support and resistance levels using multiple calculated lines and a price cloud.

How to trade with it - Bullish conditions when price is above the cloud. - Bearish conditions when price is below the cloud. - The cloud acts as dynamic support or resistance. - Best used as a full market context tool rather than a single signal.

What it does An adaptive moving average that adjusts its sensitivity based on market efficiency, smoothing noise during ranges and reacting faster during trends.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising KAMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling KAMA. - Flat KAMA indicates consolidation. - Use as a trend filter combined with price action.

What it does A general smoothing indicator that averages price data over a specified period to highlight trend direction and reduce market noise.

How to trade with it - Rising moving average suggests bullish conditions. - Falling moving average suggests bearish conditions. - Price interaction with the moving average can act as dynamic support or resistance. - Commonly combined with other indicators for confirmation.

What it does A trend following indicator that places dots above or below price to indicate potential trend direction and trailing stop levels.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when dots are below price. - Bearish bias when dots are above price. - A dot flip signals a potential trend reversal. - Often used as a trailing stop mechanism.

What it does A basic moving average that calculates the mean price over a fixed number of periods with equal weighting.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising SMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling SMA. - Slower to react but reliable in stable trends. - Frequently used for long term trend direction.

What it does A volatility based trend indicator built using Average True Range, displaying a dynamic trend line that flips with price movement.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above the Supertrend line. - Bearish bias when price is below the Supertrend line. - Line flips can signal trend changes. - Works well as a trend filter and trailing stop.

What it does A moving average based on linear regression rather than simple price averaging. It projects the trend forward, making it more responsive to recent price direction.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising TSMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling TSMA. - Reacts faster than SMA but can overshoot in volatile markets. - Best used as a short term trend filter.

What it does A highly smoothed moving average created by averaging an already averaged price series, reducing noise more than SMA or EMA.

How to trade with it - Rising TMA indicates bullish conditions. - Falling TMA indicates bearish conditions. - Strong lag makes it unsuitable for fast entries. - Useful for long term trend direction and smoothing.

What it does A moving average that applies triple exponential smoothing to reduce lag while maintaining smoothness, responding faster than EMA or DEMA.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising TEMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling TEMA. - Suitable for momentum and trend following strategies. - Combine with filters to avoid ranging markets.

What it does An adaptive moving average that changes its smoothing factor based on market volatility, becoming faster in trends and slower in ranges.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising VIDYA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling VIDYA. - Flat VIDYA suggests consolidation. - Use as a regime filter rather than a standalone signal.

What it does A shortened name for Variable Index Dynamic Average, adapting its responsiveness according to market volatility.

How to trade with it - Same behaviour as VIDYA. - Follow price direction relative to the line. - Rising slope indicates strengthening trend. - Flat slope indicates range conditions.

What it does A moving average that applies greater weight to recent prices, making it more responsive than a simple moving average.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when price is above a rising WMA. - Bearish bias when price is below a falling WMA. - Faster response than SMA but noisier. - Useful for short to medium term trend analysis.

What it does A smoothing method developed by Welles Wilder, commonly used in indicators such as RSI, ATR, and ADX.

How to trade with it - Not typically used as a standalone indicator. - Influences how derived indicators respond to price. - Slower and smoother than EMA. - Best understood as a calculation method rather than a trading signal.

What it does A momentum oscillator that measures how far price deviates from its statistical average. It helps identify overbought, oversold, and trend strength conditions.

How to trade with it - Values above +100 suggest strong bullish momentum. - Values below -100 suggest strong bearish momentum. - Crosses back inside ±100 can signal momentum exhaustion. - Works best when aligned with the higher timeframe trend.

What it does Measures the rate of change in price by comparing the current price to a previous price over a defined period.

How to trade with it - Values above zero indicate positive momentum. - Values below zero indicate negative momentum. - Rising momentum supports trend continuation. - Use as confirmation rather than a primary entry trigger.

What it does Rate of Change calculates the percentage change in price over a specified number of periods, highlighting momentum and speed of movement.

How to trade with it - Positive values indicate bullish momentum. - Negative values indicate bearish momentum. - Zero line crosses can signal momentum shifts. - Divergence with price can indicate weakening trends.

What it does A bounded momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of price movements, commonly used to identify overbought and oversold conditions.

How to trade with it - Readings above 70 suggest overbought conditions. - Readings below 30 suggest oversold conditions. - Trend strength can be judged by RSI holding above or below 50. - Divergences can signal potential reversals.

What it does Measures the strength of a trend by comparing closing prices to the trading range, based on the idea that prices tend to close higher in uptrends and lower in downtrends.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when RVI is above its signal line. - Bearish bias when RVI is below its signal line. - Crossovers indicate possible trend shifts. - Best used with trend confirmation.

What it does Measures price movement strength by analysing the relationship between current and previous price ranges, focusing on directional movement.

How to trade with it - Rising Swing Index suggests increasing directional momentum. - Falling values suggest weakening movement. - Useful for confirming breakouts. - Rarely used alone, best combined with price structure.

What it does A cumulative version of the Swing Index that tracks longer term directional movement and trend persistence.

How to trade with it - Rising ASI confirms sustained upward trends. - Falling ASI confirms sustained downward trends. - Breaks in ASI trend can precede price reversals. - Used as a trend confirmation tool rather than timing entries.

What it does Measures the acceleration or deceleration of market momentum by comparing the Awesome Oscillator to its moving average. It is designed to detect changes in momentum earlier than standard oscillators.

How to trade with it - Values above zero indicate increasing bullish momentum. - Values below zero indicate increasing bearish momentum. - Changes in bar colour can signal momentum shifts. - Best used as an early warning, not a standalone entry.

What it does Compares short term and long term market momentum using the difference between two simple moving averages of median price.

How to trade with it - Values above zero indicate bullish momentum. - Values below zero indicate bearish momentum. - Zero line crosses can signal momentum shifts. - Saucer and twin peaks patterns are commonly used signals.

What it does A cycle based oscillator that measures price equilibrium, designed to identify turning points with minimal lag.

How to trade with it - Crosses above zero suggest bullish cycles. - Crosses below zero suggest bearish cycles. - Extremes can indicate potential reversals. - Works best in cyclical or ranging markets.

What it does A momentum oscillator that measures the difference between the sum of gains and losses over a specified period, providing faster signals than RSI.

How to trade with it - Values above +50 indicate strong bullish momentum. - Values below -50 indicate strong bearish momentum. - Zero line crosses indicate momentum changes. - Divergence with price can signal reversals.

What it does Evaluates demand by comparing recent highs and lows, helping identify overbought and oversold market conditions.

How to trade with it - Values above 0.7 suggest overbought conditions. - Values below 0.3 suggest oversold conditions. - Use with trend context to avoid countertrend trades. - Best used as a confirmation tool.

What it does Removes long term trends from price to focus on short term cycles and market oscillations.

How to trade with it - Oscillations above and below zero highlight cycles. - Extremes can indicate potential turning points. - Not suitable for trend following. - Useful for timing within ranges.

What it does A companion indicator to the Alligator that visualises the convergence and divergence of the Alligator’s moving averages.

How to trade with it - Expanding bars indicate strengthening trends. - Contracting bars indicate weakening trends or consolidation. - Use alongside the Alligator for confirmation. - Not intended as a standalone indicator.

What it does Displays the crossover between the MACD line and its signal line, highlighting momentum shifts.

How to trade with it - Bullish signal when MACD crosses above the signal line. - Bearish signal when MACD crosses below the signal line. - Stronger signals occur in the direction of the main trend. - Can lag in fast markets.

What it does Shows the distance between the MACD line and its signal line, visualising momentum strength and change.

How to trade with it - Rising histogram bars indicate increasing momentum. - Falling bars indicate weakening momentum. - Zero line crosses signal momentum shifts. - Divergence with price can warn of reversals.

What it does Applies a moving average to the MACD oscillator to further smooth momentum signals and reduce short term noise.

How to trade with it - Bullish bias when MACD oscillator is above its moving average. - Bearish bias when MACD oscillator is below its moving average. - Crossovers can indicate momentum shifts. - Best used as confirmation, not a primary trigger.

What it does A generic moving average applied to an oscillator rather than price, used to smooth oscillation and clarify momentum direction.

How to trade with it - Crosses above the moving average suggest strengthening momentum. - Crosses below suggest weakening momentum. - Helps reduce false signals in choppy conditions. - Works best alongside trend filters.

What it does Uses multiple smoothed moving averages of price to visualise trend strength and momentum through colour or layered lines.

How to trade with it - Aligned and expanding averages indicate strong trends. - Compression indicates consolidation. - Direction of alignment shows trend bias. - Primarily a visual trend strength tool.

What it does A momentum oscillator that compares the closing price to its recent price range to identify overbought and oversold conditions.

How to trade with it - Readings above 80 indicate overbought conditions. - Readings below 20 indicate oversold conditions. - %K and %D crossovers can signal momentum shifts. - Best used in ranges or as a trend pullback tool.

What it does A triple smoothed exponential moving average oscillator designed to filter market noise and highlight trend momentum.

How to trade with it - Zero line crosses indicate trend direction changes. - Signal line crossovers indicate momentum shifts. - Divergence with price can signal reversals. - Works well in trending markets.

What it does Combines short, medium, and long term momentum into a single oscillator to reduce false divergence signals.

How to trade with it - Readings above 70 suggest strong bullish momentum. - Readings below 30 suggest strong bearish momentum. - Bullish and bearish divergences are key signals. - Best used with price confirmation.

What it does A momentum oscillator that measures overbought and oversold levels by comparing the close to the recent high low range.

How to trade with it - Readings above -20 indicate overbought conditions. - Readings below -80 indicate oversold conditions. - Moves back inside the range can signal reversals. - Works well in ranging markets.

What it does Measures market volatility by calculating the average of true ranges over a specified period. It shows how much price typically moves, not direction.

How to trade with it - Rising ATR indicates increasing volatility. - Falling ATR indicates decreasing volatility. - Commonly used for position sizing and stop loss placement. - Not a directional signal.

What it does Measures volatility by analysing the rate of change of the trading range, highlighting expanding or contracting price movement.

How to trade with it - Rising values indicate increasing volatility. - Sharp increases can precede breakouts. - Falling values suggest consolidation. - Best used to confirm market conditions, not direction.

What it does Calculates the statistical volatility of price over a historical period, commonly expressed as a percentage.

How to trade with it - High values indicate turbulent market conditions. - Low values indicate calm or ranging markets. - Useful for strategy selection and risk management. - Not used for timing entries.

What it does Identifies potential trend reversals by analysing the expansion and contraction of price ranges.

How to trade with it - A rise above a threshold (commonly 27) followed by a drop can signal reversal risk. - Does not indicate direction. - Best used as an early warning tool. - Combine with price and trend confirmation.

What it does Measures how far price deviates from its average, providing a statistical view of volatility.

How to trade with it - Rising values indicate increasing volatility. - Falling values indicate reduced volatility. - Commonly used in bands and channel indicators. - Not a directional indicator.

What it does Measures the maximum price movement of a bar by considering gaps between sessions.

How to trade with it - Highlights sudden volatility spikes. - Forms the basis of ATR calculations. - Useful for understanding bar level movement. - Not used as a standalone trading signal.

What it does Measures whether price movement is trending or ranging by comparing directional movement to overall volatility.

How to trade with it - High values indicate trending markets. - Low values indicate sideways markets. - Use to enable or disable trend following strategies. - Does not indicate direction.

What it does Measures buying and selling pressure by analysing where price closes within its range and weighting it by volume.

How to trade with it - Rising line suggests accumulation (buying pressure). - Falling line suggests distribution (selling pressure). - Divergence with price can signal potential reversals. - Best used for confirmation, not timing entries.

What it does Combines price and volume to measure the strength of accumulation or distribution over a defined period.

How to trade with it - Values above zero indicate buying pressure. - Values below zero indicate selling pressure. - Sustained readings support trend continuation. - Divergence can warn of weakening trends.

What it does Calculates momentum of the Accumulation Distribution line using moving averages to highlight shifts in money flow.

How to trade with it - Cross above zero suggests increasing buying pressure. - Cross below zero suggests increasing selling pressure. - Direction changes can precede price moves. - Use alongside trend context.

What it does Relates price change to volume, indicating how easily price moves higher or lower.

How to trade with it - Positive values indicate price rising with little resistance. - Negative values indicate price falling with little resistance. - Extreme values can signal exhaustion. - Best used as a confirmation tool.

What it does Combines price change and volume to measure the strength of buying or selling pressure.

How to trade with it - Positive values indicate bullish force. - Negative values indicate bearish force. - Pullbacks toward zero in a trend can offer continuation setups. - Works well with trend following strategies.

What it does Uses Bull Power and Bear Power to measure buying and selling pressure relative to a moving average.

How to trade with it - Rising Bull Power supports bullish trends. - Falling Bear Power supports bearish trends. - Divergence can signal weakening trends. - Use as a trend confirmation indicator.

What it does A volume weighted momentum oscillator similar to RSI, measuring overbought and oversold conditions.

How to trade with it - Values above 80 suggest overbought conditions. - Values below 20 suggest oversold conditions. - Divergence with price can signal reversals. - Best used with trend context.

What it does Tracks price movement on days when volume decreases, based on the idea that smart money is active during low volume.

How to trade with it - Rising NVI suggests accumulation during low volume periods. - Falling NVI suggests distribution. - Use with a moving average for confirmation. - Primarily a longer term confirmation tool.

What it does Cumulatively adds or subtracts volume based on price direction to gauge buying and selling pressure.

How to trade with it - Rising OBV confirms bullish price action. - Falling OBV confirms bearish price action. - Divergence with price can precede reversals. - Commonly used for trend confirmation.

What it does Tracks price movement on days when volume increases, focusing on activity during high participation periods.

How to trade with it - Rising PVI suggests strong participation in upward moves. - Falling PVI suggests strong participation in downward moves. - Use with a moving average for confirmation. - Complements NVI for volume analysis.

What it does Combines price change and volume into a cumulative line to measure the strength of price moves backed by volume.

How to trade with it - Rising PVT confirms bullish price movement. - Falling PVT confirms bearish price movement. - Divergence with price can signal weakening trends. - Best used as trend confirmation.

What it does Measures the number of price changes within a bar, often used as a proxy for actual volume in decentralised markets.

How to trade with it - Rising tick volume indicates increasing market activity. - Spikes can confirm breakouts or strong moves. - Falling tick volume suggests weakening participation. - Use alongside price structure.

What it does Measures whether volume is flowing into buying or selling by comparing current price changes to a minimum tick threshold.

How to trade with it - Rising TVI suggests buying pressure. - Falling TVI suggests selling pressure. - Useful for short term sentiment analysis. - Works best with intraday strategies.

What it does Shows the difference between two moving averages of volume, highlighting changes in participation.

How to trade with it - Positive values indicate increasing volume. - Negative values indicate decreasing volume. - Spikes can confirm trend strength. - Not a directional price signal.

What it does Calculates the rate of change of volume, showing how quickly trading activity is increasing or decreasing.

How to trade with it - Positive values indicate rising volume participation. - Negative values indicate declining participation. - Sudden changes can precede breakouts. - Use as confirmation rather than timing.

What it does Measures cumulative buying and selling pressure by analysing price movement relative to previous closes, without using volume weighting.

How to trade with it - Rising line suggests accumulation. - Falling line suggests distribution. - Divergence with price can indicate reversals. - Use as a longer term confirmation tool.

What it does Plots volatility based bands above and below a moving average using standard deviation, expanding and contracting with market volatility.

How to trade with it - Price near upper band indicates strong momentum or potential overbought conditions. - Price near lower band indicates weak momentum or potential oversold conditions. - Band expansion signals increasing volatility. - Mean reversion strategies work best in ranging markets.

What it does Displays the highest high and lowest low over a specified period, highlighting breakout and range boundaries.

How to trade with it - Break above the upper channel suggests bullish breakout. - Break below the lower channel suggests bearish breakout. - Middle line can act as dynamic support or resistance. - Commonly used in trend following systems.

What it does Creates upper and lower bands at a fixed percentage above and below a moving average.

How to trade with it - Price touching upper envelope can indicate overbought conditions. - Price touching lower envelope can indicate oversold conditions. - Best used in stable, ranging markets. - Less adaptive than volatility based bands.

What it does Builds volatility based channels around a moving average using Average True Range rather than standard deviation.

How to trade with it - Price closing above upper channel indicates strong bullish momentum. - Price closing below lower channel indicates strong bearish momentum. - Narrow channels suggest low volatility. - Works well for trend confirmation and breakouts.

What it does Fits a polynomial regression curve to price and plots channels around it to model curved trends and deviations.

How to trade with it - Channel direction shows overall trend bias. - Price near channel extremes may indicate overextension. - Useful for analysing non linear trends. - Best used as a visual analysis tool.

What it does Measures the strength of sellers by comparing the lowest price of a bar to a moving average, indicating how much bearish pressure exists.

How to trade with it - Negative values indicate seller dominance. - Rising values toward zero suggest weakening selling pressure. - Use with a trend filter to avoid countertrend signals. - Commonly paired with Bulls Power.

What it does Measures the strength of buyers by comparing the highest price of a bar to a moving average, indicating bullish pressure.

How to trade with it - Positive values indicate buyer dominance. - Falling values suggest weakening buying pressure. - Divergence with price can signal potential reversals. - Use together with Bears Power for context.

What it does Identifies local highs and lows using a five bar pattern, highlighting potential turning points in price.

How to trade with it - Fractal highs can mark resistance levels. - Fractal lows can mark support levels. - Breaks of fractal levels can signal continuation. - Best used with trend confirmation.

What it does Measures how efficiently price moves relative to volume, indicating whether volume is supporting price movement.

How to trade with it - Rising MFI with rising volume indicates strong participation. - Rising MFI with falling volume suggests weak or false moves. - Falling MFI indicates inefficient movement. - Used for analysing price and volume relationship.

What it does A cycle based oscillator developed to identify dominant market cycles by filtering out long term trend components and market noise.

How to trade with it - Oscillations above zero indicate bullish cycle phases. - Oscillations below zero indicate bearish cycle phases. - Crosses of the zero line can signal cycle phase changes. - Best used in range bound or cyclical markets, not strong trends.

What it does Projects a linear regression line forward in time to estimate future price based on recent trend behaviour.

How to trade with it - Rising forecast suggests bullish trend bias. - Falling forecast suggests bearish trend bias. - Acts as a trend projection, not a precise price target. - Best used as directional context, not for exact entries.

What it does Represents the value where the linear regression line intersects the price axis, forming the baseline of the regression calculation.

How to trade with it - Not typically used as a standalone trading signal. - Helps quantify the regression model structure. - Used internally by regression based indicators. - Relevant for analysis rather than execution.

What it does Measures how well price fits a linear regression trend, indicating trend reliability rather than direction.

How to trade with it - High values indicate a strong, consistent trend. - Low values indicate noisy or ranging markets. - Useful for filtering trend following strategies. - Does not indicate bullish or bearish direction.

What it does Measures the rate and direction of price change within the linear regression model.

How to trade with it - Positive slope indicates upward trend strength. - Negative slope indicates downward trend strength. - Steeper slope suggests stronger momentum. - Best used as a trend strength and direction filter.

What it does Calculates the difference between the high and low of each bar, providing a simple measure of intrabar price range.

How to trade with it - Larger values indicate increased volatility. - Smaller values indicate quiet market conditions. - Useful for analysing range expansion or contraction. - Not a directional trading signal.

What it does Calculates the midpoint of each bar using the average of the high and low prices.

How to trade with it - Smoother than using closing price alone. - Often used as input for moving averages or indicators. - Can help reduce noise in calculations. - Not typically used as a standalone signal.

What it does Calculates the average of high, low, and close prices, providing a balanced representation of price action.

How to trade with it - Used as an input price for indicators. - Smoother than close price alone. - Helps reduce single price bias. - Rarely traded directly.

What it does Calculates a weighted average of high, low, and close prices, giving more importance to the closing price.

How to trade with it - Reflects end of period sentiment more strongly. - Often used as indicator input. - Smoother than close price alone. - Not used as a standalone trading signal.

What it does Plots dynamic support and resistance bands based on fractal highs and lows, adjusting as new fractals form.

How to trade with it - Upper band acts as dynamic resistance. - Lower band acts as dynamic support. - Breakouts beyond the bands can signal trend continuation. - Best used with trend confirmation rather than as a standalone signal.