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StatePath
Tool Atlasmarket.roc

Tool

Rate of Change

market.roc

MarketOscillator

Inputs

No typed inputs.

Outputs

Buffer (time series)

A percentage momentum line centered on zero. Above zero means price is higher than N bars ago (rising momentum); below zero means it is lower. The distance from zero shows how strong the move is.

ROC (Rate of Change) is a momentum oscillator that measures how much price has changed over a fixed number of bars, as a percentage. It swings around zero: positive when price is higher than it was, negative when lower.

Rate of Change overview diagram

How it works

It compares the current price to the price N bars ago (the period, default 14) and expresses the difference as a percentage. The further price has run in either direction, the larger the reading; a flat market keeps ROC near zero.

Configuration

periodscalar

How many bars back the current price is compared against. Larger = measures a longer move and reacts slower; smaller = measures a shorter move and reacts faster. 14 is the classic default.

period diagram

Connects to

Feeds into

Examples

  • Use a ROC cross above zero as a long momentum gate, and below zero for shorts.
  • Require ROC to be positive before allowing trend-continuation entries.

Common mistakes

  • Comparing raw ROC values across different symbols — a 2% move means different things on a quiet pair versus a volatile one.
  • Picking a period so short that ROC flips sign on normal noise.

See also