hi ankit,
MACD is an abbreviation for "Moving Average Convergence Divergence. The swing trader can best use indicators for decision making when he or she has a clear understanding of their underlying design and assumptions. Those who fail to do this often end up applying the indicators mechanically, which usually leads to costly swing trading errors.
The MA part of the name stands for "moving average." Moving averages are trend following tools that have the power to keep the swing trader on the right side of the trade.
The CD stands for "convergence" and "divergence," or the phenomenon of the moving averages coming together and spreading apart. During a period of strong trend, the two MACD lines will grow further apart (divergence). During sideways consolidation, they will converge or come closer together, often crisscrossing one another several times. MACD is both a trend following tool and a momentum indicator that shows acceleration and deceleration of a trend.
The MACD line itself is constructed from two moving averages -- a 12-period, or faster, moving average and a 26-period, or slower moving average. The computer subtracts the 26-period moving average from the 12-period and creates a single line. I call this the "main line." The next calculation performed is the computing of a nine-period E.M.A. of the main line. This line is called the "trigger line," and it is from the interaction of these two lines that certain types of trading signals are generated.
In using MACD, you should always take great care to synthesize the weekly and daily indicators. I have seen little information on how to do that in books or on the web. As such, here are my conclusions on that important topic...
Weekly MACD should be looked to as describing the trend of the stock from a "trading perspective." When a stock or index is below a downward sloping 40-week moving average, then for the vast majority of time, MACD will be on a sell signal. During periods of countertrend rally, however, there are times when the weekly MACD will issue a buy signal. Even though the primary trend is down, these opportunities should be traded from the long side. (The opposite of these principles is true when a stock or index is above an upward sloping 40-week moving average.)
Daily MACD should be used as the catalyst to enter and exit positions. When weekly MACD is on a sell signal, then fresh sell signals in daily MACD should cause the swing trader to take a short position (assuming other technical indicators on the chart such as trendlines and candlesticks support the trade, of course).
Since MACD is a trend following indicator, it will do a very good job of keeping you in the trade for almost the entire period in which it is profitable. When the daily MACD gives a buy signal, then short positions should be covered. You can then reinitiate a short position on the next MACD sell signal.
One limitation of MACD is that it works very poorly during periods of price consolidation. When MACD begins to generate numerous trading signals back and forth in a short period of time, its buy and sell advice should be ignored.