What is a moving average?

The Moving Average is the average price of the security or contact for the Period shown. For example, a 9-period moving average is the average of the closing prices for the past 9 periods, including the current period. For intraday data the current price is used in place of the closing price. The moving average is used to observe price changes.

What happens if a moving average crosses above a long term moving average?

When a short-term moving average crosses above a longer term moving average, this indicates an upswing in the market. The longer the period of the moving average, the smoother the price movement is. Longer moving averages are used to isolate long-term trends.

What is the difference between a moving average and a current price?

For intraday data the current price is used in place of the closing price. The moving average is used to observe price changes. The effect of the moving average is to smooth the price movement so that the longer-term trend becomes less volatile and therefore more obvious.