What it does
The Price Oscillator measures the gap between a fast and a slow moving average of price, expressed either as an absolute difference or, in the percentage form (PPO), as that difference divided by the slow average times 100. Typical settings mirror MACD, such as 12 and 26 periods. The percentage version lets you compare momentum across instruments trading at very different prices.
How to add it
Click Indicators (ƒx) in the header.
Search “Price Oscillator” and click the result.
Hover its legend row and click the gear to open settings.
How traders use it
- A cross above zero means the fast average is above the slow one and momentum has turned bullish; a cross below zero turns the bias bearish.
- Rising oscillator values during an uptrend confirm acceleration; a shrinking gap warns the trend is losing steam even before a zero cross.
- Divergence between price highs and oscillator highs is an early caution flag for trend exhaustion.
- Use the percentage form when scanning or comparing several instruments so a high-priced stock does not dominate purely by price level.
Inputs
| Input | Type | Default | Range / Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortlen | number | 10 | 1–2000 |
| Longlen | number | 21 | 1–2000 |
Plots & styling
| Plot | Style | Default color |
|---|---|---|
| Plot | line | #089981 |
Every plot's color, line width and visibility can be changed on the Style tab. Precision (default 2 decimals), price-scale labels and status-line values are configurable at the bottom of the Style tab.
Reference levels
| Level | Value |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
Level values, colors and line styles are editable in settings.
Tips
- Double-click the plot to open settings directly, skipping the legend hover.
- The pane keeps its height in saved layouts, so size it once and it survives reloads.
- Resize the pane by dragging its divider; collapse it from the legend row when you need the space back.
Watch out for
- Built from moving averages, it inherits their lag: zero-line crosses often trigger well after the turn.
- In range-bound markets the fast and slow averages braid together, generating repeated whipsaw crossovers.