Stochastic Oscillator – indicator MetaTrader 5

The Stochastic Oscillator technical indicator compares where a security’s price closed relative to its price range over a given time period.

The Stochastic Oscillator is displayed as two lines. The main line is called %K. The second line, called %D, is a Moving Average of %K. The %K line is usually displayed as a solid line and the %D line is usually displayed as a dotted line.

There are several ways to interpret a Stochastic Oscillator. Three popular methods include:

• Buy when the Oscillator (either %K or %D) falls below a specific level (for example, 20) and then rises above that level.Sell when the Oscillator rises above a specific level (for example, 80) and then falls below that level;
• Buy when the %K line rises above the %D line and sell when the %K line falls below the %D line;
• Look for divergences. For instance: where prices are making a series of new highs and the Stochastic Oscillator is failing to surpass its previous highs.

Stochastic Oscillator

Calculation:

The Stochastic Oscillator has four variables:

• %K period. This is the number of time periods used in the stochastic calculation;
• %K Slowing Period. This value controls the internal smoothing of %K. A value of 1 is considered a fast stochastic; a value of 3 is considered a slow stochastic;
• %D period. This is the number of time periods used when calculating a moving average of %K;
• %D smoothing method. The method (i.e., Exponential, Simple, Smoothed, or Weighted) that is used to calculate %D.

The formula for %K is:

where:

• CLOSE – is today’s closing price;
• LOW(%K) – the lowest low in %K periods;
• HIGH(%K) – the highest high in %K periods.
  

The %D moving average is calculated according to the formula:

where:

• N – smoothing period;
• SMA – Simple Moving Average.