As a forex trader, you must have come across different strategies that are designed to help you make profitable trades. One of such strategies is the Moving Average Cross (MA Cross) strategy, which involves using the crossover of two moving averages to identify potential trade entry and exit points.
The MA Cross strategy is popular among forex traders because it is relatively easy to understand and implement. However, manually applying the strategy can be time-consuming, and it can increase the risk of errors that could lead to losses.
To overcome these challenges, it is advisable to automate the MA Cross forex strategy. Automating the strategy involves programming a computer to execute trades based on the crossover of two moving averages. Here are the steps to automate the MA Cross forex strategy:
Step 1: Choose the Moving Averages to Use
The first step in automating the MA Cross forex strategy is to choose the moving averages to use. The two most commonly used moving averages in the strategy are the 50-day moving average and the 200-day moving average. However, you can use any two moving averages that you feel comfortable with.
Step 2: Determine the Crossover Points
The next step is to determine the crossover points. In the MA Cross strategy, a buy signal is generated when the shorter moving average crosses above the longer moving average, while a sell signal is generated when the shorter moving average crosses below the longer moving average.
To automate this strategy, you need to program your computer to monitor the crossover points and execute trades accordingly. You can use different programming languages such as Python, C++, and Java to write the code that will enable your computer to monitor the crossover points.
Step 3: Set the Entry and Exit Rules
After determining the crossover points, the next step is to set the entry and exit rules. The entry rule specifies the conditions that must be met before a trade is executed, while the exit rule specifies the conditions that must be met before a trade is closed.
For example, you can set the entry rule to buy when the 50-day moving average crosses above the 200-day moving average, and the current price is above the 50-day moving average. Similarly, you can set the exit rule to sell when the 50-day moving average crosses below the 200-day moving average, and the current price is below the 50-day moving average.
Step 4: Backtest Your Strategy
Before deploying your automated MA Cross forex strategy, it is advisable to backtest it to evaluate its performance. Backtesting involves testing your strategy on historical data to see how it would have performed in the past.
You can use different backtesting tools such as TradingView, MetaTrader, and Amibroker to backtest your strategy. The backtesting results will help you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your strategy and make necessary adjustments.
Step 5: Deploy Your Strategy
After backtesting your strategy and making necessary adjustments, the final step is to deploy your strategy. You can deploy your strategy on different trading platforms such as MetaTrader, cTrader, and NinjaTrader.
When deploying your strategy, ensure that you test it on a demo account before trading with real money. This will help you to identify any issues and make necessary adjustments before trading with real money.
Conclusion
Automating the MA Cross forex strategy can help you to save time and reduce the risk of errors that could lead to losses. To automate the strategy, you need to choose the moving averages to use, determine the crossover points, set the entry and exit rules, backtest your strategy, and deploy it on a trading platform. With a well-automated MA Cross forex strategy, you can increase your chances of making profitable trades in the forex market.