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MACD Breakout

The MACD Breakout strategy watches the MACD for sudden expansions. When readings jump beyond their normal range, price often starts a new move.

Testing indicates an average annual return of about 94%. It performs best in the stocks market.

A position opens once the indicator pierces a band derived from recent data and a deviation multiplier. Long and short trades are possible with a stop attached.

This system fits momentum traders seeking early breakouts. Trades close as the MACD falls back toward the mean. Defaults start with FastEmaPeriod = 12.

Details

  • Entry Criteria: Indicator exceeds average by deviation multiplier.
  • Long/Short: Both directions.
  • Exit Criteria: Indicator reverts to average.
  • Stops: Yes.
  • Default Values:
    • FastEmaPeriod = 12
    • SlowEmaPeriod = 26
    • SignalPeriod = 9
    • SmaPeriod = 20
    • DeviationMultiplier = 2
    • StopLossPercent = 2
    • CandleType = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5) Avg and StdDev are the average and the standard deviation of the last SmaPeriod MACD line values, the current one included. The stop is a fixed StopLossPercent of the entry price, watched between candles as well; 0 disables it. The bands are the average plus and minus DeviationMultiplier standard deviations: the MACD line above the upper band goes long and below the lower band goes short; a long closes once the MACD line is back below its average and a short once it is back above it. An entry signal against an open position reverses it.
  • Filters:
    • Category: Breakout
    • Direction: Both
    • Indicators: MACD
    • Stops: Yes
    • Complexity: Intermediate
    • Timeframe: Short-term
    • Seasonality: No
    • Neural Networks: No
    • Divergence: No
    • Risk Level: Medium
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

using Ecng.Common;

using StockSharp.Algo.Indicators;
using StockSharp.Algo.Strategies;
using StockSharp.BusinessEntities;
using StockSharp.Messages;

namespace StockSharp.Samples.Strategies;

/// <summary>
/// MACD Breakout strategy.
/// The bands lie DeviationMultiplier standard deviations around the average of the last SmaPeriod MACD values, the current one included.
/// MACD above the upper band goes long and MACD below the lower band goes short,
/// reversing an opposite position. A long closes once MACD is back below its average and a short once it is back above it, and a percent stop limits the loss.
/// </summary>
public class MacdBreakoutStrategy : Strategy
{
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _fastEmaPeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _slowEmaPeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _signalPeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _smaPeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<decimal> _deviationMultiplier;
	private readonly StrategyParam<decimal> _stopLossPercent;
	private readonly StrategyParam<DataType> _candleType;

	private readonly Queue<decimal> _values = [];

	/// <summary>
	/// Fast EMA period of MACD.
	/// </summary>
	public int FastEmaPeriod
	{
		get => _fastEmaPeriod.Value;
		set => _fastEmaPeriod.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Slow EMA period of MACD.
	/// </summary>
	public int SlowEmaPeriod
	{
		get => _slowEmaPeriod.Value;
		set => _slowEmaPeriod.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Signal line period of MACD.
	/// </summary>
	public int SignalPeriod
	{
		get => _signalPeriod.Value;
		set => _signalPeriod.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Values of MACD the average and the standard deviation span.
	/// </summary>
	public int SmaPeriod
	{
		get => _smaPeriod.Value;
		set => _smaPeriod.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Standard deviations between the average and a band.
	/// </summary>
	public decimal DeviationMultiplier
	{
		get => _deviationMultiplier.Value;
		set => _deviationMultiplier.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Stop loss percentage from entry price.
	/// </summary>
	public decimal StopLossPercent
	{
		get => _stopLossPercent.Value;
		set => _stopLossPercent.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Candle type.
	/// </summary>
	public DataType CandleType
	{
		get => _candleType.Value;
		set => _candleType.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Constructor.
	/// </summary>
	public MacdBreakoutStrategy()
	{
		_fastEmaPeriod = Param(nameof(FastEmaPeriod), 12)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("MACD Fast", "Fast EMA period of MACD", "Indicators");

		_slowEmaPeriod = Param(nameof(SlowEmaPeriod), 26)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("MACD Slow", "Slow EMA period of MACD", "Indicators");

		_signalPeriod = Param(nameof(SignalPeriod), 9)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("MACD Signal", "Signal line period of MACD", "Indicators");

		_smaPeriod = Param(nameof(SmaPeriod), 20)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("Average Period", "Values of MACD the average and the standard deviation span", "Indicators");

		_deviationMultiplier = Param(nameof(DeviationMultiplier), 2m)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("Multiplier", "Standard deviations between the average and a band", "Indicators");

		_stopLossPercent = Param(nameof(StopLossPercent), 2m)
			.SetNotNegative()
			.SetDisplay("Stop Loss %", "Stop loss percentage from entry price", "Risk");

		_candleType = Param(nameof(CandleType), TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5).TimeFrame())
			.SetDisplay("Candle Type", "Type of candles to use", "General");
	}

	/// <inheritdoc />
	public override IEnumerable<(Security sec, DataType dt)> GetWorkingSecurities()
	{
		return [(Security, CandleType)];
	}

	/// <inheritdoc />
	protected override void OnReseted()
	{
		base.OnReseted();
		_values.Clear();
	}

	/// <inheritdoc />
	protected override void OnStarted2(DateTime time)
	{
		base.OnStarted2(time);

		_values.Clear();

		var macd = new MovingAverageConvergenceDivergenceSignal
		{
			Macd =
			{
				ShortMa = { Length = FastEmaPeriod },
				LongMa = { Length = SlowEmaPeriod },
			},
			SignalMa = { Length = SignalPeriod }
		};

		var subscription = SubscribeCandles(CandleType);
		subscription
			.BindEx(macd, ProcessCandle)
			.Start();

		StartProtection(new Unit(), new Unit(StopLossPercent, UnitTypes.Percent), useMarketOrders: true, isLocalStop: true);

		// The stop has to see prices between candles, not only at their close.
		foreach (var field in new[] { Level1Fields.BestBidPrice, Level1Fields.BestAskPrice })
		{
			var quotes = new Subscription(DataType.Level1, Security);
			quotes.MarketData.BuildField = field;
			SubscribeLevel1(quotes).Bind(ObserveProtectionQuote).Start();
		}

		var area = CreateChartArea();
		if (area != null)
		{
			DrawCandles(area, subscription);
			DrawOwnTrades(area);

			var oscillators = CreateChartArea();
			if (oscillators != null)
			{
				DrawIndicator(oscillators, macd);
			}
		}
	}

	private void ObserveProtectionQuote(Level1ChangeMessage quote)
	{
		// The high-level handler activates native protection before this callback, also between signal bars.
	}

	private void ProcessCandle(ICandleMessage candle, IIndicatorValue macdValue)
	{
		if (candle.State != CandleStates.Finished)
			return;

		if (!macdValue.IsFormed || macdValue is not MovingAverageConvergenceDivergenceSignalValue { Macd: decimal macd, Signal: decimal signal })
			return;

		var value = macd;

		_values.Enqueue(value);

		if (_values.Count > SmaPeriod)
			_values.Dequeue();

		if (_values.Count < SmaPeriod)
			return;

		if (!IsFormedAndOnlineAndAllowTrading())
			return;

		var mean = _values.Average();
		var deviation = (decimal)Math.Sqrt((double)_values.Average(v => (v - mean) * (v - mean)));
		var upper = mean + DeviationMultiplier * deviation;
		var lower = mean - DeviationMultiplier * deviation;

		if (value > upper && Position <= 0)
			BuyMarket(Volume + Math.Abs(Position));
		else if (value < lower && Position >= 0)
			SellMarket(Volume + Math.Abs(Position));
		else if (Position > 0 && value < mean)
			SellMarket(Position);
		else if (Position < 0 && value > mean)
			BuyMarket(-Position);
	}
}