How Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO) Are Calculated?

11 minutes read

The Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO) is a technical analysis tool used to identify short-term price cycles in a financial asset. It helps traders and investors understand when a market is oversold or overbought.


To calculate the DPO, follow these steps:

  1. Select a specific time period, such as 20 days, depending on your preference and the asset being analyzed.
  2. Determine the center point for the chosen time period, which is calculated by [(chosen period / 2) + 1]. In our example of 20 days, the center point would be 11 [(20 / 2) + 1].
  3. Calculate the simple moving average (SMA) by summing the closing prices for the selected time period and dividing it by the number of days in the period. For instance, if the closing prices were 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70, the SMA would be (50 + 55 + 60 + 65 + 70) / 5 = 60.
  4. Determine the price that corresponds to the center point. To do this, look back at the closing price at the center point. For example, if the closing prices were recorded for 40 days, the center point would be the closing price 20 days ago.
  5. Subtract the SMA (step 3) from the price at the center point (step 4).
  6. Plot the resulting value as the DPO value for the corresponding center point on the chart.


The DPO effectively removes the long-term trend from the price series, making it simpler to identify shorter-term cycles that occur around the center point. Traders typically use this indicator to identify potential buy or sell signals when the DPO crosses above or below zero.


It is important to note that the DPO is a lagging indicator and should be used in conjunction with other technical analysis tools or indicators to make informed trading decisions.

Best Trading Sites for Beginners & Experts in 2024

1
FinViz

Rating is 5 out of 5

FinViz

2
TradingView

Rating is 4.9 out of 5

TradingView

3
FinQuota

Rating is 4.8 out of 5

FinQuota

4
Yahoo Finance

Rating is 4.7 out of 5

Yahoo Finance


What are the key factors to consider before relying on DPO as a standalone indicator?

Before relying on DPO (Detrended Price Oscillator) as a standalone indicator, there are a few key factors to consider:

  1. Understanding of market trends: DPO is a detrended indicator, meaning it removes the general trend of the price action. Therefore, it may not be suitable in trending markets where the trend itself provides valuable information. It is important to have a good understanding of the market's current trend before relying on DPO.
  2. Identifying cyclical patterns: DPO is designed to identify cyclical patterns in the price data by comparing the current price with a moving average. It is crucial to correctly identify the cyclical patterns and understand their significance in the market. DPO may not be as effective in markets without clear cyclical patterns.
  3. Confirmation with other indicators: To increase the reliability of DPO, it is advisable to use it in conjunction with other technical indicators. By confirming DPO signals with other indicators like volume, moving averages, or oscillators, you can have a more comprehensive analysis of the market.
  4. Timeframe selection: DPO's effectiveness may vary depending on the timeframe used. Different timeframes can reveal different cyclical patterns, so it's important to consider the timeframe that aligns with the trading strategy and goals. Testing DPO on various timeframes can help determine its effectiveness and suitability.
  5. False signals and market noise: As with any indicator, DPO can generate false signals and be influenced by market noise. It is crucial to filter out false signals and avoid making trading decisions solely based on DPO. The inclusion of other indicators, risk management strategies, and thorough analysis is essential.
  6. Historical performance analysis: Before relying on DPO as a standalone indicator, it is advisable to backtest it on historical data to understand its past performance. This analysis can help evaluate the indicator's accuracy, strengths, weaknesses, and its suitability for the trading strategy.


Overall, while DPO can provide valuable insights into cyclical patterns and potential turning points, it should not be solely relied upon. A comprehensive analysis using multiple indicators, market trends, and risk management strategies is necessary for optimal decision-making.


What data inputs are required to calculate DPO accurately?

To calculate Days Payable Outstanding (DPO) accurately, the following data inputs are required:

  1. Accounts Payable Balance: The total amount of money owed to vendors and suppliers.
  2. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): The cost associated with producing or purchasing the goods or services that were sold during a specific time period.
  3. Average Accounts Payable: The average accounts payable balance over a specific period. This can be calculated by adding the opening and closing balances of accounts payable and dividing by two.


Once these data inputs are available, the calculation of DPO can be done using the formula:


DPO = (Accounts Payable Balance / COGS) * Number of Days


The number of days can vary depending on the specific time period under consideration, such as 365 days for annual DPO or 90 days for quarterly DPO.


How to understand and interpret Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO)?

The Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO) is a technical indicator that helps traders identify cycles or trend reversals in the price action of a security. It removes the long-term trend component from the price data and focuses solely on short-term price cycles.


Here is a step-by-step guide to understanding and interpreting the DPO:

  1. Calculation: The DPO calculates the difference between the price data and a specific moving average, typically the simple moving average (SMA) of the price series shifted backward by (n/2)+1 periods, where n represents the number of periods being analyzed. This backward shifting removes the influence of the long-term trend.
  2. Zero Line: The DPO has a zero line at the center. Crossing above the zero line suggests a bullish trend, while crossing below the zero line suggests a bearish trend.
  3. Peaks and Troughs: Look for peaks and troughs in the DPO to identify potential trend reversals. A peak indicates a potential top in price, suggesting a trend reversal from bullish to bearish. Conversely, a trough suggests a potential bottom in price, indicating a trend reversal from bearish to bullish.
  4. Cycles: DPO is useful in identifying price cycles. Peaks and troughs in the DPO typically correspond to similar points on the price chart, indicating the presence of repeating cycles.
  5. Confirmation: Always use the DPO in conjunction with other technical indicators or analysis methods to confirm your signals. This could include trendlines, support and resistance levels, volume analysis, or other oscillators.
  6. Timeframe: The DPO works best with shorter-term timeframes, typically fewer than 30 periods. Using larger timeframes might fail to provide meaningful results due to long-term trends overshadowing short-term cycles.
  7. Adaptive DPO: Some traders use adaptive versions of the DPO, which adjust the backward shifting of the moving average based on market volatility. This helps to adapt the indicator to different market conditions.


Remember, like any technical indicator, the DPO is not foolproof and should be used in conjunction with other forms of analysis to make well-informed trading decisions. It's important to practice and backtest various strategies incorporating the DPO to determine its effectiveness for your trading style.


How to plot DPO on a price chart?

To plot a Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO) on a price chart, follow these steps:

  1. Gather the necessary information: You'll need historical price data for the asset you want to analyze.
  2. Calculate the DPO: The DPO is calculated by determining the difference between the price and a specific moving average shifted back by half of the period. The most common period used is 20 days. So, subtract the 20-day Moving Average (MA) from the price that occurred 10 days ago. Repeat this calculation for each historical price data point.
  3. Create a chart: Open a charting platform or software that allows you to plot technical indicators. Popular options include TradingView, MetaTrader, or even spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel.
  4. Select the asset: Choose the specific asset or stock for which you want to plot the DPO.
  5. Choose the timeframe: Select the desired timeframe for the chart. This could be daily, weekly, or even intraday intervals like hourly or 15 minutes.
  6. Add the Moving Average: Add the 20-day Moving Average indicator to the chart, using the closing prices of the chosen asset.
  7. Plot the DPO: Using the DPO calculation from step 2, plot the DPO line on the chart. This will be a line plotted alongside the price chart.
  8. Customize the chart: Adjust the display settings of the DPO line, such as line thickness, color, or style, to your preference. You may also consider adding other technical indicators or overlays for additional analysis.
  9. Analyze the chart: By observing the relationship between the DPO line and the price, you can identify cycles and trends. DPO values above the zero line indicate a potential downtrend, while values below the zero line suggest an uptrend.


Remember, the DPO is a type of lagging indicator that removes trends from price data, allowing you to identify underlying cycles. As with any technical analysis tool, it's essential to combine the DPO with other indicators or analysis methods to make informed trading decisions.


How to determine the detrended price based on DPO calculations?

To determine the detrended price based on Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO) calculations, follow these steps:

  1. Determine the DPO period: The DPO period is the number of periods used to calculate the DPO. It can vary depending on the time frame you are analyzing, but a common period is 20.
  2. Calculate the moving average: Calculate the simple moving average (SMA) of the closing prices over the DPO period. This moving average will be used to detrend the price.
  3. Calculate the DPO: Take the price that falls DPO periods ago (not the current price) and subtract the moving average from it. This gives you the detrended price for that specific period. Repeat this calculation for each period in your data set to get the detrended prices.


For example, if you are analyzing daily price data and using a DPO period of 20, you would:

  • Calculate the 20-day SMA of the closing prices.
  • Subtract the 20-day SMA from the price that fell 20 days ago to get the detrended price for that day.
  • Repeat this calculation for each day in your data set.


The resulting values represent the detrended prices based on DPO calculations. The detrended prices show the difference between the current price and the average price over the selected period, thereby removing the trend component from the original price series.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Related Posts:

The Detrended Price Oscillator (DPO) is a technical indicator that is used in the analysis of financial markets. It is primarily used to identify and measure short-term cycles or trends in the price of an asset.To calculate the DPO, the first step is to determ...
The Chaikin Oscillator is a technical analysis tool that combines both price and volume data to analyze the flow of money in and out of a stock. It was developed by Marc Chaikin, a renowned stock market analyst.Trading with the Chaikin Oscillator involves anal...
The Percentage Price Oscillator (PPO) is a technical indicator used by traders and investors to identify potential trend reversals and generate buy or sell signals. It is similar to the popular Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator but provide...
Williams %R, also known as %R, is a technical indicator that measures the level of overbought or oversold conditions in the market. Developed by Larry Williams, %R is a momentum oscillator that resembles the stochastic oscillator.The Williams %R indicator is u...
The Percentage Price Oscillator (PPO) is a technical analysis tool used to measure the momentum and trend strength of a security. It is similar to the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator and is often used alongside it.The PPO calculates the ...
The Chaikin Oscillator is a technical analysis tool that is used to measure the momentum of a security by comparing its accumulation and distribution line (ADL) over a chosen period of time. It was developed by Marc Chaikin.To use the Chaikin Oscillator as a b...