Moving Average Convergence Divergence

Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator for FinancialChart is a trend-following momentum indicator. It reveals changes in the strength, direction, duration and momentum of price of an asset. The indicator is efficient in helping users spot short-term price momentum.

MACD momentum oscillator displays a relationship between 26 day exponential moving average and 12 day exponential moving average. As the two moving averages converge, cross and diverge, they make the MACD oscillator to fluctuate above and below the zero line. A "signal line" is plotted on the top of the oscillator. It is a 9 day exponential moving average of MACD, which serves as a trigger for buy and sell signals. A sell signal is generated with the MACD going below the zero line.

MACD Histogram is an oscillator which measures the difference between the fast MACD line and the signal line. Just like MACD indicator, histogram also fluctuates above and below zero line. A positive histogram indicates that MACD is above its signal line, while MACD going below its signal line makes a negative histogram. A negative MACD Histograms generates sell signal.

To use MACD indicator and MACD Histogram in FinancialChart, add a FinancialChart control to your application and bind it to an appropriate data source or populate data in it through Quote Collection. The ItemsSource object enables data binding or populating data in FinancialChart. The MacdBase class exposes FastPeriod, SlowPeriod, and Smoothing period properties. Based on the values of these properties, data points for Macd indicator and Histogram are calculated and plotted on FinancialChart. The appearance of the series can be manipulated with MacdLineStyle and SignalLineStyle properties. MACD-Indicator

The following example considers stock data for a company Box Inc. over a period of time and plots its MACD Indicator and MACD Histogram apart from the volume chart, as shown in the image above. The example uses data from a json file, and DataService.cs class is created to access this json file.

Make sure that Build Action property of the json file is set to Embedded Resource.

Make sure to add the following references in DataService.cs:

System.Collections.Generic
System.Linq
System.Runtime.Serialization.Json
System.Reflection

DataService.vb
DataService.cs

DataService.vb

Public Class DataService
    Public Function GetData() As List(Of Quote)
        Dim stream As New FileStream("..\..\Resources\box.json", FileMode.Open)
        Dim ser = New DataContractJsonSerializer(GetType(Quote()))
        Dim data = DirectCast(ser.ReadObject(stream), Quote())
        stream.Close()
        Return data.ToList()
    End Function
    Shared _ds As DataService
    Public Shared Function GetService() As DataService
        If _ds Is Nothing Then
            _ds = New DataService()
        End If
        Return _ds
    End Function
End Class

DataService.cs

class DataService
{
    public List<Quote> GetData()
    {
        string path = "IndicatorMACD.Resources.box.json";
        //Replace IndicatorMACD by your application name       
        var stream = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetManifestResourceStream(path);
        var ser = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(Quote[]));
        var data = (Quote[])ser.ReadObject(stream);
        return data.ToList();
    }
    static DataService _ds;
    public static DataService GetService()
    {
        if (_ds == null)
            _ds = new DataService();
        return _ds;
    }
}

Json Data

[
    { "date": "01/23/15", "open": 20.2, "high": 24.73, "low": 20.16, "close": 23.23, "volume": 42593223 }, 
    { "date": "01/26/15", "open": 23.67, "high": 24.39, "low": 22.5, "close": 22.6, "volume": 8677164 }, 
    { "date": "01/27/15", "open": 22, "high": 22.47, "low": 21.17, "close": 21.3, "volume": 3272512 }, 
    { "date": "01/28/15", "open": 21.62, "high": 21.84, "low": 19.6, "close": 19.78, "volume": 5047364 }, 
    { "date": "01/29/15", "open": 19.9, "high": 19.95, "low": 18.51, "close": 18.8, "volume": 3419482 }, 
    { "date": "01/30/15", "open": 18.47, "high": 19.48, "low": 18.22, "close": 18.81, "volume": 2266439 }, 
    { "date": "02/02/15", "open": 19.18, "high": 19.3, "low": 18.01, "close": 18.02, "volume": 2071168 }, 
    { "date": "02/03/15", "open": 18.22, "high": 18.64, "low": 18.12, "close": 18.24, "volume": 1587435 }, 
    { "date": "02/04/15", "open": 18.2, "high": 18.35, "low": 17, "close": 17.1, "volume": 2912224 }, 
    { "date": "02/05/15", "open": 17.3, "high": 17.31, "low": 16.41, "close": 16.66, "volume": 2682187 }, 
    { "date": "02/06/15", "open": 17.39, "high": 18.88, "low": 17.21, "close": 18.12, "volume": 3929164 }, 
    { "date": "02/09/15", "open": 18.86, "high": 19.95, "low": 18.45, "close": 19.6, "volume": 3226650 }, 
    { "date": "02/10/15", "open": 20.5, "high": 21, "low": 19.63, "close": 20.99, "volume": 2804409 }, 
    { "date": "02/11/15", "open": 20.89, "high": 21, "low": 20.2, "close": 20.96, "volume": 1698365 }, 
    { "date": "02/12/15", "open": 20.66, "high": 20.85, "low": 19.75, "close": 20.17, "volume": 1370320 }, 
    { "date": "02/13/15", "open": 20.19, "high": 20.68, "low": 20, "close": 20.18, "volume": 711951 }, 
    { "date": "02/17/15", "open": 19.5, "high": 20.1, "low": 18.8, "close": 19.05, "volume": 2093602 }, 
    { "date": "02/18/15", "open": 18.31, "high": 18.5, "low": 17.96, "close": 18, "volume": 1849490 }, 
    { "date": "02/19/15", "open": 18.33, "high": 19.25, "low": 17.91, "close": 18.96, "volume": 1311518 }, 
    { "date": "02/20/15", "open": 18.68, "high": 19.3, "low": 18.65, "close": 18.85, "volume": 1001692 }, 
    { "date": "02/23/15", "open": 18.8, "high": 18.89, "low": 18.11, "close": 18.21, "volume": 670087 }, 
    { "date": "02/24/15", "open": 18.46, "high": 19, "low": 18.27, "close": 18.83, "volume": 759263 }, 
    { "date": "02/25/15", "open": 18.83, "high": 19.48, "low": 18.47, "close": 18.67, "volume": 915580 }, 
    { "date": "02/26/15", "open": 18.64, "high": 19.2, "low": 18.64, "close": 18.94, "volume": 461283 }, 
    { "date": "02/27/15", "open": 18.8, "high": 19.12, "low": 18.55, "close": 18.66, "volume": 617199 }, 
    { "date": "03/02/15", "open": 18.66, "high": 19.09, "low": 18.65, "close": 18.79, "volume": 519605 }, 
    { "date": "03/03/15", "open": 18.79, "high": 19.21, "low": 18.45, "close": 18.59, "volume": 832415 }, 
    { "date": "03/04/15", "open": 18.64, "high": 19.05, "low": 18.32, "close": 19, "volume": 539688 }, 
    { "date": "03/05/15", "open": 19.2, "high": 19.2, "low": 18.8, "close": 19.14, "volume": 486149 }, 
    { "date": "03/06/15", "open": 19.03, "high": 19.1, "low": 18.7, "close": 18.91, "volume": 685659 }, 
    { "date": "03/09/15", "open": 18.98, "high": 20.15, "low": 18.96, "close": 19.4, "volume": 1321363 }, 
    { "date": "03/10/15", "open": 19.3, "high": 19.8, "low": 18.85, "close": 19.64, "volume": 615743 }, 
    { "date": "03/11/15", "open": 20.08, "high": 20.65, "low": 19.24, "close": 20.53, "volume": 2167167 }, 
    { "date": "03/12/15", "open": 17.17, "high": 18.2, "low": 16.76, "close": 18.2, "volume": 6837638 }, 
    { "date": "03/13/15", "open": 18.05, "high": 18.05, "low": 17.3, "close": 17.88, "volume": 1715629 }, 
    { "date": "03/16/15", "open": 17.91, "high": 18, "low": 17.01, "close": 17.13, "volume": 1321313 }, 
    { "date": "03/17/15", "open": 17.28, "high": 17.37, "low": 16.6, "close": 17.12, "volume": 1272242 }, 
    { "date": "03/18/15", "open": 17.1, "high": 17.27, "low": 16.91, "close": 17.01, "volume": 530063 }, 
    { "date": "03/19/15", "open": 17, "high": 17.28, "low": 17, "close": 17.06, "volume": 536427 }, 
    { "date": "03/20/15", "open": 17.13, "high": 17.24, "low": 16.88, "close": 17.21, "volume": 1320237 }, 
    { "date": "03/23/15", "open": 17.21, "high": 17.23, "low": 17.01, "close": 17.11, "volume": 509798 }, 
    { "date": "03/24/15", "open": 17.02, "high": 17.18, "low": 16.82, "close": 17, "volume": 962149 }, 
    { "date": "03/25/15", "open": 16.92, "high": 16.99, "low": 16.82, "close": 16.97, "volume": 565673 }, 
    { "date": "03/26/15", "open": 16.83, "high": 17.56, "low": 16.83, "close": 17.54, "volume": 884523 }, 
    { "date": "03/27/15", "open": 17.58, "high": 18.3, "low": 17.11, "close": 18.3, "volume": 705626 }, 
    { "date": "03/30/15", "open": 18.5, "high": 19.4, "low": 18.4, "close": 19.05, "volume": 1151620 }, 
    { "date": "03/31/15", "open": 19.08, "high": 20.58, "low": 18.4, "close": 19.75, "volume": 2020679 }, 
    { "date": "04/01/15", "open": 19.69, "high": 19.69, "low": 18.55, "close": 18.65, "volume": 961078 }, 
    { "date": "04/02/15", "open": 18.56, "high": 18.66, "low": 17.85, "close": 17.9, "volume": 884233 }, 
    { "date": "04/06/15", "open": 17.78, "high": 17.94, "low": 17.51, "close": 17.66, "volume": 605252 }, 
    { "date": "04/07/15", "open": 17.62, "high": 17.9, "low": 17.53, "close": 17.61, "volume": 591988 }, 
    { "date": "04/08/15", "open": 17.64, "high": 17.85, "low": 17.32, "close": 17.36, "volume": 618855 }, 
    { "date": "04/09/15", "open": 17.33, "high": 17.54, "low": 17.1, "close": 17.1, "volume": 761855 }, 
    { "date": "04/10/15", "open": 17.08, "high": 17.36, "low": 17, "close": 17.05, "volume": 568373 }, 
    { "date": "04/13/15", "open": 17.24, "high": 17.26, "low": 16.81, "close": 17.1, "volume": 667142 }, 
    { "date": "04/14/15", "open": 17.1, "high": 17.89, "low": 17.02, "close": 17.52, "volume": 870138 }, 
    { "date": "04/15/15", "open": 17.6, "high": 17.99, "low": 17.5, "close": 17.69, "volume": 530456 }, 
    { "date": "04/16/15", "open": 17.95, "high": 18, "low": 17.6, "close": 17.82, "volume": 548730 }, 
    { "date": "04/17/15", "open": 17.75, "high": 17.79, "low": 17.5, "close": 17.79, "volume": 446373 }, 
    { "date": "04/20/15", "open": 17.63, "high": 17.98, "low": 17.52, "close": 17.93, "volume": 487017 }, 
    { "date": "04/21/15", "open": 17.96, "high": 17.98, "low": 17.71, "close": 17.92, "volume": 320302 }, 
    { "date": "04/22/15", "open": 17.88, "high": 18.33, "low": 17.57, "close": 18.29, "volume": 644812 }, 
    { "date": "04/23/15", "open": 18.29, "high": 18.61, "low": 18.18, "close": 18.28, "volume": 563879 }, 
    { "date": "04/24/15", "open": 18.5, "high": 18.5, "low": 17.61, "close": 17.75, "volume": 650762 }, 
    { "date": "04/27/15", "open": 17.97, "high": 18.05, "low": 17.45, "close": 17.57, "volume": 437294 }, 
    { "date": "04/28/15", "open": 17.65, "high": 17.79, "low": 17.39, "close": 17.5, "volume": 224519 }, 
    { "date": "04/29/15", "open": 17.68, "high": 17.68, "low": 17.1, "close": 17.21, "volume": 495706 }, 
    { "date": "04/30/15", "open": 17.22, "high": 17.3, "low": 17, "close": 17.11, "volume": 391040 }, 
    { "date": "05/01/15", "open": 17.11, "high": 17.55, "low": 16.85, "close": 17.5, "volume": 563075 }, 
    { "date": "05/04/15", "open": 17.56, "high": 17.85, "low": 17.3, "close": 17.4, "volume": 253138 }, 
    { "date": "05/05/15", "open": 17.68, "high": 17.68, "low": 17.09, "close": 17.43, "volume": 290935 }, 
    { "date": "05/06/15", "open": 17.48, "high": 17.48, "low": 17, "close": 17.04, "volume": 313662 }, 
    { "date": "05/07/15", "open": 17.05, "high": 17.19, "low": 16.92, "close": 17.04, "volume": 360284 }, 
    { "date": "05/08/15", "open": 17.13, "high": 17.21, "low": 16.91, "close": 17.1, "volume": 297653 }, 
    { "date": "05/11/15", "open": 17.16, "high": 17.44, "low": 17.13, "close": 17.31, "volume": 268504 }, 
    { "date": "05/12/15", "open": 17.28, "high": 17.44, "low": 16.99, "close": 17.24, "volume": 376961 }, 
    { "date": "05/13/15", "open": 17.24, "high": 17.3, "low": 17.06, "close": 17.2, "volume": 244617 }, 
    { "date": "05/14/15", "open": 17.24, "high": 17.25, "low": 17.02, "close": 17.08, "volume": 252526 }, 
    { "date": "05/15/15", "open": 17.06, "high": 17.16, "low": 16.95, "close": 16.95, "volume": 274783 }, 
    { "date": "05/18/15", "open": 16.95, "high": 17.01, "low": 16.76, "close": 16.87, "volume": 418513 }, 
    { "date": "05/19/15", "open": 16.93, "high": 16.94, "low": 16.6, "close": 16.83, "volume": 367660 }, 
    { "date": "05/20/15", "open": 16.8, "high": 16.9, "low": 16.65, "close": 16.86, "volume": 297914 }, 
    { "date": "05/21/15", "open": 16.9, "high": 17.08, "low": 16.79, "close": 16.88, "volume": 229346 }, 
    { "date": "05/22/15", "open": 16.9, "high": 17.05, "low": 16.85, "close": 17, "volume": 253279 }, 
    { "date": "05/26/15", "open": 17.03, "high": 17.08, "low": 16.86, "close": 17.01, "volume": 212640 }, 
    { "date": "05/27/15", "open": 17.01, "high": 17.99, "low": 16.87, "close": 17.75, "volume": 857109 }, 
    { "date": "05/28/15", "open": 17.77, "high": 17.77, "low": 17.44, "close": 17.62, "volume": 338482 }
            ]

Make sure to add the following references in code view:

System.Collections.Generic
System.Windows
System.Runtime.Serialization

Visual Basic
C#

Visual Basic

Partial Public Class Form1
    Inherits Form
    Private dataService As DataService = DataService.GetService()
    Dim macd As New Macd() With {
    .Name = "MACD, Signal"
}
    Dim macdHistogram As New MacdHistogram() With {
    .Name = "MACD Histogram"
}
    Private fs As New FinancialSeries()
    Public Sub New()
        InitializeComponent()
    End Sub

    Private Sub FinancialChart1_Rendered(sender As Object, e As C1.Win.Chart.RenderEventArgs) Handles FinancialChart1.Rendered
        FinancialChart2.AxisX.Min = FinancialChart1.AxisX.ActualMin
        FinancialChart2.AxisX.Max = FinancialChart1.AxisX.ActualMax
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        FinancialChart1.BeginUpdate()
        FinancialChart1.BindingX = "date"
        FinancialChart1.Binding = "close"
        FinancialChart1.Series.Add(New FinancialSeries())
        'fs.Name = "Box Inc.";
        FinancialChart1.Legend.Position = C1.Chart.Position.Right
        fs.Visibility = C1.Chart.SeriesVisibility.Visible
        FinancialChart1.ChartType = C1.Chart.Finance.FinancialChartType.Line
        FinancialChart1.DataSource = dataService.GetData()
        FinancialChart1.Legend.Orientation = C1.Chart.Orientation.Vertical
        FinancialChart1.Legend.Title = "Box Inc."
        FinancialChart1.EndUpdate()

        FinancialChart2.BeginUpdate()
        FinancialChart2.ChartType = C1.Chart.Finance.FinancialChartType.Line
        FinancialChart2.BindingX = "date"
        FinancialChart2.Binding = "high,low,close"
        FinancialChart2.Series.Add(macd)
        FinancialChart2.Series.Add(macdHistogram)
        FinancialChart2.Legend.Position = C1.Chart.Position.Bottom
        FinancialChart2.DataSource = dataService.GetData()
        FinancialChart2.EndUpdate()
        macd.FastPeriod = 12
        macd.SlowPeriod = 26
        macd.SmoothingPeriod = 9
        macd.MacdLineStyle.Stroke = Brushes.Red
        macd.SignalLineStyle.Stroke = Brushes.Orange
    End Sub
End Class
Public Class Quote
    Public Property [date]() As String
        Get
            Return m_date
        End Get
        Set
            m_date = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_date As String
    Public Property high() As Double
        Get
            Return m_high
        End Get
        Set
            m_high = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_high As Double
    Public Property low() As Double
        Get
            Return m_low
        End Get
        Set
            m_low = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_low As Double
    Public Property open() As Double
        Get
            Return m_open
        End Get
        Set
            m_open = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_open As Double
    Public Property close() As Double
        Get
            Return m_close
        End Get
        Set
            m_close = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_close As Double
    Public Property volume() As Double
        Get
            Return m_volume
        End Get
        Set
            m_volume = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_volume As Double
End Class

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
    DataService dataService = DataService.GetService();
    Macd macd = new Macd() { Name = "MACD, Signal" };
    MacdHistogram macdHistogram = new MacdHistogram() { Name = "MACD Histogram" };
    FinancialSeries fs = new FinancialSeries();
    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }
    public List<Quote> Data
    {
        get
        {
            return dataService.GetData();
        }
    }
    private void OnLoad(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        financialChart1.BeginUpdate();
        financialChart1.BindingX = "date";           
        financialChart1.Binding = "close";
        financialChart1.Series.Add(new FinancialSeries());            
        financialChart1.Legend.Position = C1.Chart.Position.Right;
        fs.Visibility = C1.Chart.SeriesVisibility.Visible;
        financialChart1.ChartType = C1.Chart.Finance.FinancialChartType.Line;
        financialChart1.DataSource = dataService.GetData();
        financialChart1.Legend.Orientation = C1.Chart.Orientation.Vertical;
        financialChart1.Legend.Title = "Box Inc.";
        financialChart1.Rendered += (s, a) =>
        {
            financialChart2.AxisX.Min = financialChart1.AxisX.ActualMin;
            financialChart2.AxisX.Max = financialChart1.AxisX.ActualMax;
        };
        financialChart1.EndUpdate();

        financialChart2.BeginUpdate();
        financialChart2.ChartType = C1.Chart.Finance.FinancialChartType.Line;
        financialChart2.BindingX = "date";
        financialChart2.Binding = "high,low,close";
        financialChart2.Series.Add(macd);
        financialChart2.Series.Add(macdHistogram);
        financialChart2.Legend.Position = C1.Chart.Position.Bottom;
        financialChart2.DataSource = dataService.GetData();            
        financialChart2.EndUpdate();
        macd.FastPeriod = 12;
        macd.SlowPeriod = 26;
        macd.SmoothingPeriod = 9;
        macd.MacdLineStyle.Stroke = Brushes.Red;
        macd.SignalLineStyle.Stroke = Brushes.Orange;
    }
}
public class Quote
{
    public string date { get; set; }
    public double high { get; set; }
    public double low { get; set; }
    public double open { get; set; }
    public double close { get; set; }
    public double volume { get; set; }
}