MACD line crossing above signal line indicates strengthening momentum.
The MACD line is the 12-period EMA minus the 26-period EMA; when this difference is rising, the 12-period is gaining on the 26-period — short-term momentum is accelerating. A bull cross fires when the MACD line transitions from below to above the signal line (the 9-period EMA of MACD), meaning the acceleration of short-term momentum has overcome the smoothed average of that momentum. The EMA 20 filter (close above EMA 20) confirms price structure: the stock is not just showing momentum improvement but is trading above its recent average — buyers have the upper hand in both the oscillator and the price level. on the 5-Min chart, the full MACD (12, 26, 9) lookback spans approximately one hour (12 bars = 1 hour, 26 bars = 2.17 hours).
The MACD bull cross above EMA 20 is most reliable when the cross occurs from a negative MACD value (coming from below zero) — a centerline cross that signals the overall trend has shifted bullish, not just a brief pullback within a downtrend. Crosses that occur while MACD remains well above zero are weaker: they typically mark a pause in a strong uptrend rather than a new trend initiation. The 29-stock count on the 5-Min chart reflects moderate signal frequency — active enough to provide trading opportunities, filtered enough to avoid pure noise. Key failure modes: (1) the MACD cross fires immediately before a news announcement, rendering the technical signal moot; (2) close above EMA 20 but EMA 20 is declining — meaning the stock is in a short-term bounce within a broader downtrend; (3) the MACD histogram is small (hairline cross), indicating very weak momentum shift that can reverse on the next bar. For a faster, simpler version of the same signal, see EMA 9/20 Cross Up. For a structural MA signal that confirms a sustained MACD bull cross, see Golden Cross.
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This screener finds stocks where the MACD line (12, 26, 9) has just crossed above the MACD signal line, and the close is above EMA 20. The MACD bull cross with price above EMA 20 is a dual-confirmation bullish momentum signal: the oscillator shows improving short-term momentum while the price filter confirms the upward structure. Currently 29 stocks match on the 5-Min chart. Day traders and swing traders use this as an entry trigger for long positions or as a confirmation to hold existing longs. Who uses this: momentum traders who combine oscillator signals with price structure to filter lower-quality entries. Failure mode: in volatile markets, the MACD can cross above the signal line briefly and then reverse — the EMA 20 filter reduces noise but MACD crosses in choppy environments still produce many false positives. Related screens: MACD Bear Cross and EMA 9/20 Cross Up.