What it does
Schaff Trend Cycle (STC) runs a MACD (typically 23/50 EMAs) through a double stochastic calculation over a cycle length (usually 10), producing an oscillator bounded 0-100. The double smoothing makes it react to trend changes faster than MACD while staying less jittery than a raw stochastic. It is designed to identify trend direction and cyclical turns early.
Typeoscillatorseparate pane
How to add it
Click Indicators (ƒx) in the header.
Search “Schaff Trend Cycle” and click the result.
Hover its legend row and click the gear to open settings.
How traders use it
- Readings above 75 are considered overbought and below 25 oversold; the classic signal is the cross back out of these zones, not the entry into them.
- A turn up from below 25 is a buy signal; a turn down from above 75 is a sell signal, ideally traded in the direction of the larger trend.
- STC often flat-lines near 0 or 100 during strong trends; treat a prolonged pin near 100 as trend strength, not an automatic reversal.
- Use a slower confirmation such as the 50/200 EMA relationship or ADX so you only take STC turns aligned with the dominant trend.
- Exits can use the opposite STC turn, which typically fires earlier than a MACD cross.
Inputs
| Input | Type | Default | Range / Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Length | number | 23 | 1–100 |
| Slow Length | number | 50 | 1–200 |
| Cycle Length | number | 10 | 1–50 |
| D1 Length | number | 3 | 1–20 |
| D2 Length | number | 3 | 1–20 |
Plots & styling
| Plot | Style | Default color |
|---|---|---|
| STC | line | #ff5722 |
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.
Tips
- Resize the pane by dragging its divider; collapse it from the legend row when you need the space back.
- Use Add to favorites in the legend menu; starred studies surface at the top of the picker.
- Reference levels (where the study has them) are editable — tune them to the instrument you're trading.
Watch out for
- Its speed cuts both ways: in sideways markets STC flips between extremes frequently and generates whipsaws.
- Because it is heavily smoothed and bounded, it says little about the size of a move, only its timing.