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Compresses roughly ten months of closing prices into a single trend line, exposing the dominant directional bias after short-term and seasonal noise is filtered out.
The 200-day moving average is the average price of the stock over roughly the last 10 months. Investors use it to judge the long-term trend and overall direction of the stock.
The 200-day moving average (200-day MA) is one of the most widely followed technical indicators in financial markets. It represents the average closing price over approximately 10 months of trading (200 trading days ≈ 40 weeks), providing a smoothed view of the stock's long-term price trend. Its widespread use by institutional investors, hedge funds, and algorithmic trading systems gives it significant influence on market behaviour.
The calculation follows the same principle as shorter moving averages:
200-Day MA = Sum of Last 200 Closing Prices / 200
This long timeframe filters out short-term noise and seasonal fluctuations, revealing the stock's fundamental price trajectory. A stock trading above its 200-day MA is generally considered to be in a long-term uptrend, while one trading below is viewed as being in a downtrend.
Key applications of the 200-day MA:
- Bull/bear market indicator: Many define a bull market as price above the 200-day MA and a bear market as price below
- Major support/resistance: The 200-day MA often acts as a significant price level where buying or selling intensifies
- Trend filter: Some traders only take long positions when price is above the 200-day MA and short positions when below
- Death cross warning: When the 50-day MA crosses below the 200-day MA, it warns of potential extended declines
Consider a stock with a 200-day MA of $100. If the current price is $115, the stock trades 15% above its long-term average—a sign of strength. If it's at $85, it's 15% below, suggesting weakness. A "test" of the 200-day MA often generates significant trading activity as market participants assess whether support will hold.
Limitations to consider:
- Significant lag: By the time the 200-day MA turns, substantial price movement has already occurred
- False signals in ranging markets: Stocks moving sideways may cross the 200-day MA repeatedly without establishing clear trends
- Company-specific factors: A stock below its 200-day MA might still be a good investment if fundamentals are improving
The 200-day MA works best as a context-setting tool rather than a standalone trading signal. It helps answer "What is the long-term trend?" but not "Is this a good time to buy or sell?"
Where it fits
200-Day MA→TrendA trend is the general direction of a stock's price movement over time, classified as uptrend, downtrend, or sideways, and used by investors to identify potential trading opportunities.