Indicator guides for futures traders
Cut through the noise.
indicators.ninja explains the tools traders put on their charts: how each one is calculated, how people commonly use it, and where it lets you down. Formulas, diagrams, no hype.
Why this site
An indicator is a question, not an answer
Every indicator is arithmetic on price and volume. Once you know the arithmetic, you know what question it asks and what it cannot see. Each guide below gives the formula in plain text, a chart drawn from sample data, the usual ways traders read the indicator, and its limitations. They are written for people trading futures on NinjaTrader Desktop, but the maths is the same on any platform.
VWAP
The intraday average that weights price by volume.
Read the guide →RSI
Wilder's bounded momentum oscillator.
Read the guide →MACD
Two EMAs, a signal line and a histogram.
Read the guide →Moving averages
Simple, exponential and weighted averages compared.
Read the guide →ATR
How far a market typically moves per bar.
Read the guide →Order flow
Volume by price, point of control and delta.
Read the guide →Indicator finder
Pick by trading style
Traders mix indicators in endless ways. This is a map of what is commonly paired with each style, which is a starting point for study, not a recommendation or a system. Test anything on a simulator first.
Scalping
Seconds to a few minutes, small moves, tight risk.
- Order flow and volume profile: where size is trading and who is aggressive.
- VWAP: a fast read on whether price is rich or cheap versus the session.
- Short EMAs: quick directional context on very fast charts.
- ATR: sizing small stops to current volatility.
Day trading
Minutes to hours, flat by the close.
- VWAP and bands: session bias and stretched levels.
- 9 and 20 EMA: trend and pullback reference.
- RSI: momentum and divergence into key levels.
- Volume profile: prior day POC and value area as reference levels.
Swing trading
Days to weeks, bigger moves, wider stops.
- 50 and 200 period averages: the widely watched trend filters.
- MACD: trend and momentum on daily charts.
- RSI: momentum context and the 50 line as a trend filter.
- ATR: stop distance and position size on daily bars.
Stacking five indicators built from the same closes mostly repeats the same information. A common approach is to pick one for trend, one for momentum or volatility, and one that adds different data such as volume, then learn them thoroughly.
Take it to the chart
From guide to NinjaTrader
Understanding an indicator is half the work; setting it up is the other half. NinjaTrader Guru publishes free guides for NinjaTrader Desktop, from adding indicators to configuring data feeds. If you want ready-made indicators and tools, Affordable Indicators lists its NinjaTrader software here, and you can talk through setups with other traders in the Discord community.
indicators.ninja is part of the Trade With Excellence family.
Common questions
- What is indicators.ninja?
- A free set of educational guides to common trading indicators, written for futures traders using platforms such as NinjaTrader Desktop. It explains the formulas, common uses and limits of each indicator.
- Is this financial advice?
- No. Everything here is educational. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss and the examples show how indicators work, not what to trade.
- Where can I find indicators for NinjaTrader?
- Affordable Indicators lists NinjaTrader 8 software, including indicators and a trade copier. NinjaTrader Guru has free guides on installing and using them.