All indicators

Momentum Expansion vs Contraction

By LuxAlgoMay 18, 2026

Static chart image

Momentum Expansion vs Contraction reads the grammar of momentum expansion vs contraction on the oscillator of your choice: MACD histogram by default, or Momentum, Rate of Change, RSI, Stochastic %K or CCI, re-centered into one zero-based histogram. Bar-to-bar, a growing or shrinking streak must sustain for 3 confirmation bars before a phase is called; swing-to-swing, successive 5-bar peaks and troughs are compared and connected.

How to Trade the Momentum Expansion vs Contraction?

  • Full-color columns: each reading stretches further from zero than the last: the move is accelerating.
  • Faded columns: readings shrinking back toward zero: deceleration; a warning, not a signal.
  • Dashed connectors: the latest momentum peak or trough fell short of the prior one; repeated shortfalls against fresh price extremes are the raw material of divergence.
  • Phase confirmations: expansion and contraction alerts fire only after the full confirmation window.

Neither read predicts on its own. The pane grades the move already under way.

Momentum Expansion vs Contraction Settings

  • Oscillator (default MACD Histogram): the tool the grammar is read on; RSI and Stochastic %K plot as distance from 50.
  • Source (default close).
  • MACD Fast / Slow / Signal (defaults 12 / 26 / 9): the histogram engine.
  • Oscillator Length (default 14): lookback for the non-MACD options.
  • Confirmation Bars (default 3): consecutive growing or shrinking bars needed to call a phase; a zero-line side change resets the count.
  • Swing Detection Length (default 5): pivot strength of the swing read.
  • Bar Coloring (default Bar-to-bar): each column painted by its own read, or Confirmed Phase for one color per phase.
  • Display toggles: Swing Connectors (on), Phase Markers (off), Show Dashboard (on).

Frequently Asked Questions

Original indicatorBuilt in-house by LuxAlgo

The Library is free. Quant makes it yours.

Pull any concept or indicator into Quant: rebuild it, retune it, or turn it into a backtested strategy of your own.