moving average

American  

noun

Statistics.

1. one of a succession of averages of data from a time series, where each average is calculated by successively shifting the interval by the same period of time.

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moving average British  

noun

1. statistics (of a sequence of values) a derived sequence of the averages of successive subsequences of a given number of members, often used in time series to even out short-term fluctuations and make a trend clearer

   the 3-term moving average of 4, 6, 8, 7, 9, 8 is 6, 7, 8

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Etymology

Origin of moving average

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

moving average

The S&P 500 has moved below its 50-day moving average, presenting a strong buying opportunity, according to Yardeni Research and Fundstrat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

On Thursday, the percentage of S&P 500 stocks sitting above their 200-day moving average topped 69% for the first time since late 2024, Dow Jones Market Data showed.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

Having retested the 43-euro 100-day moving average, Porsche shares have rebounded and may soon test the 50-euro 12-month highs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Investors tend to keep a close eye on death crosses, which occur when an asset’s short-term 50-day moving average crosses below its long-term 200-day counterpart.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

A few weeks later, the 50-day simple moving average turned higher, reinforcing the improving technical picture.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026