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Trading indicators
Coppock Curve: A Long-Term Momentum Turn Indicator
The Coppock Curve is a long-term momentum indicator that Edwin Coppock built to identify long-term buying opportunities in stock indexes. It is a 10-period weighted moving average of the sum of a 14-period and an 11-period rate of change, usually written as (14, 11, 10). Its zero-line crosses describe past momentum; they do not forecast a turn.
In brief
What is the Coppock Curve?
The Coppock Curve turns two rate-of-change readings into one long-term line. Here is how it is calculated, which settings the sources give, a worked weighted-average example, and why its rare signals are a limit to weigh, not a strength.
Key takeaways
- The Coppock Curve is a 10-period weighted moving average of a 14-period rate of change plus an 11-period rate of change, usually written (14, 11, 10).
- Edwin Coppock built it to find long-term buying opportunities in indexes. StockCharts says he used monthly data, and that monthly data will not trigger very many signals.
- The zero line is the main reading. StockCharts describes a cross up into positive territory as a buy signal and a cross down into negative territory as a sell signal.
- The curve is built from past closes. It describes momentum that has already happened and does not forecast the next turn.
Where the Coppock Curve comes from
The Coppock Curve belongs to the family of rate-of-change indicators, which compare today's close with a close some periods earlier. StockCharts describes Edwin 'Sedge' Coppock as an economist by training, and says his original goal was to identify long-term buying opportunities in the S&P 500 and Dow Industrials. TradingView describes the tool as a price momentum indicator for determining major lows in the stock market.
The dates differ between sources. TradingView says the formula was developed in 1962 and first appeared in Barron's that year. StockCharts says Coppock introduced the indicator in Barron's in October 1965. This guide does not settle the question. Check the original Barron's issue before you quote a year.
For a shorter-cycle comparison, see the stochastic oscillator, which compares the close with a recent range, and what is MACD, which uses moving averages.
How the Coppock Curve is calculated
- 01
Step 1: the 14-period rate of change
ROC 14 = 100 × (close − close 14 periods ago) ÷ close 14 periods ago. StockCharts gives the rate-of-change formula in this form.
- 02
Step 2: the 11-period rate of change
ROC 11 uses the same formula with 11 periods. The two readings are added together, which gives one sum for each bar.
- 03
Step 3: the 10-period weighted moving average
The sum is smoothed with a 10-period weighted moving average (WMA). StockCharts says a weighted moving average places more weight on recent values, so the newest bar counts most in the result.
In one line: Coppock Curve = WMA 10 of (ROC 14 + ROC 11). TradingView gives the same two rate-of-change lengths and a 10-month weighted average, but it does not print the full combination.
Settings and variants: the (14, 11, 10) default
StockCharts says the indicator is calculated by default with 14- and 11-period rate-of-change inputs and a 10-period weighted moving average, which gives (14, 11, 10). Its daily S&P 100 example uses (20, 10, 10), which StockCharts says makes the curve a little less sensitive and may suit daily charts better.
| Source | Setting or date | What it says | How to read it here |
|---|---|---|---|
| StockCharts ChartSchool | (14, 11, 10) | Default calculation: 14- and 11-period ROC and a 10-period WMA; Coppock used monthly data to identify buying opportunities | The default used on this page |
| StockCharts ChartSchool | (20, 10, 10), daily | Example on S&P 100 daily data, described as a little less sensitive | A timeframe example, not a second default |
| StockCharts ChartSchool | October 1965 | Coppock introduced the indicator in Barron's in October 1965 | Differs from the 1962 date in TradingView |
| TradingView support | 11 and 14 rate-of-change inputs, 10 WMA | Gives the lengths but no defaults; ROC in periods, WMA in months | Consistent with (14, 11, 10); check the units on your platform |
| TradingView support | 1962 | Formula developed in 1962 by Edwin S. Coppock and first appeared in Barron's that year | Differs from the StockCharts date |
Verified on 10 November 2026 from the StockCharts and TradingView pages listed under sources.
Worked example: a 10-month weighted average
This example is arithmetic on invented sums, labelled as an example. Each row is one month's ROC 14 plus ROC 11 value. Month 10, the newest, gets weight 10, and month 1, the oldest, gets weight 1. The weights add up to 55, which is the divisor.
| Month | Weight | ROC 14 + ROC 11 | Weight × value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (oldest) | 1 | -6.0 | -6.0 |
| 2 | 2 | -5.0 | -10.0 |
| 3 | 3 | -4.5 | -13.5 |
| 4 | 4 | -4.0 | -16.0 |
| 5 | 5 | -3.5 | -17.5 |
| 6 | 6 | -3.0 | -18.0 |
| 7 | 7 | -2.5 | -17.5 |
| 8 | 8 | -2.0 | -16.0 |
| 9 | 9 | -1.5 | -13.5 |
| 10 (newest) | 10 | -1.0 | -10.0 |
| Total | 55 | -138.0 |
Example: -138.0 ÷ 55 = -2.509, shown as -2.51. The 1 to 10 weights are an arithmetic convention for this example. StockCharts gives a linear pattern only for a three-period WMA (the first value times one, the second times two, the third times three) and does not print the 10-period weights, so check the weighting on your platform.
In this example the curve reads -2.51 at month 10, still below the zero line. Under StockCharts' rule, a buy signal needs a cross up into positive territory, so this reading gives none.
Reading the zero line and the turn
StockCharts reads the zero line in two directions. A buy signal triggers with a cross into positive territory, and a sell signal triggers with a cross into negative territory. Coppock focused exclusively on buy signals. Many technical analysts add the sell signal, and StockCharts says those sell signals are not always as reliable as the buys.
StockCharts' own examples include the 2016 dip into negative territory, which did not go very far below the zero line, and 2022, when the S&P 500 trend turned up almost as soon as the curve turned negative. These are illustrations from one source, not a test of the indicator.
The curve and price can disagree before a crossover. StockCharts says more aggressive chartists can look for bullish and bearish divergences to anticipate such crossovers, but that divergences do not always result in trend reversals. It advises using Coppock Curve signals in conjunction with other technical analysis.
Why monthly data, and what changes on other timeframes
StockCharts says Coppock used monthly data to identify buying opportunities. It says that using monthly data the indicator 'will not trigger very many signals', and that the weekly chart produces many more signals.
Changing the settings changes the curve, so do not compare readings made with different settings.
Common misreads of the Coppock Curve
| Misread | What the curve shows | Better reading |
|---|---|---|
| A curve below zero is a buy signal | The curve is negative; StockCharts's buy signal is a cross up into positive territory | Check the cross, not the level alone |
| The first upturn marks the market bottom | The curve is smoothed and built from past closes, so a turn can appear after prices have moved | Treat the turn as a description, not a bottom call |
| The monthly settings work the same on daily charts | Settings differ by timeframe, as the settings section shows | State which settings and timeframe you used |
| A sell cross always means sell | StockCharts says sell signals are not always as reliable as buy signals | Read the cross with price and other tools |
Limits of the Coppock Curve
- Monthly data produces very few signals, so long gaps between readings are normal and the sample is small.
- Sell signals are not always as reliable as buy signals, and one example, such as the 2016 dip, does not show how deep a dip can go.
- TradingView says the curve suits long-term strategies on indexes, ETFs and other liquid instruments, not intraday trading. Applying it to other instruments changes what the result means.
- The curve describes past closes. A pattern in past index history does not show that the same pattern will repeat.
Next, read the stochastic oscillator guide to compare a shorter-cycle momentum tool, and keep these limits in mind when you read either one.
Risk disclosure
- This guide is educational and is not personal financial advice. The Coppock Curve describes past closes and does not forecast index or stock prices.
- No Coppock Curve reading is a buy or sell instruction. This page gives no win rate, profit figure or tested strategy, and the example values are invented.
- Monthly signals are rare, so one reading shows little. Set your own risk limits before any trade.
- Index and ETF prices can fall, and leveraged products such as CFDs can lose money quickly. Read margin in trading before you use leverage.
- Settings, timeframe and data source change the curve. Two charts can show different readings for the same market.
RTX5 status
This guide explains the Coppock Curve in general and does not describe an RTX5 feature. No RTX5 release record confirms which indicators, chart types or alerts the product includes. Its Windows desktop client is in preview, and the web and mobile clients are planned. A Google Play listing for Android is published, but the mobile client has no approved release record yet; check the product-availability record before relying on any RTX5 feature.
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Primary references
Sources were checked on 10 November 2026. They explain market rules and concepts; they do not certify RTX5 or provide individual financial advice.
StockCharts ChartSchool: Coppock CurveGives the rate-of-change and 10-period WMA inputs; the (14, 11, 10) default calculation; the (20, 10, 10) daily S&P 100 example; the original monthly design; the buy and sell cross triggers; the statement that monthly data will not trigger very many signals; the October 1965 Barron's date; Coppock as an economist by training with the S&P 500 and Dow Industrials goal; and the advice to combine the signals with other technical analysis; and the three-period WMA weighting example (first value times one, second times two, third times three). Checked 10 November 2026.TradingView Support: Coppock CurveSays the formula was developed in 1962 by Edwin S. Coppock in that year's Barron's; that it is a price momentum indicator for determining major market lows; that it was developed for long-term strategies on indexes, ETFs and liquid instruments rather than intraday trading; and names 11- and 14-period rate-of-change inputs and a 10-month WMA. It lists no defaults. Checked 10 November 2026.StockCharts ChartSchool: Rate of Change (ROC) and MomentumGives the ROC formula: the change between the current close and the close n periods ago, divided by the close n periods ago, multiplied by 100. Checked 10 November 2026.StockCharts ChartSchool: Hull Moving Average (HMA)States that weighted moving averages place additional weight on more recent values. It does not print the full WMA weight scheme, so the weights in the worked example are an arithmetic convention. Checked 10 November 2026.RTX5 product availabilityThe RTX5 status record. The Coppock Curve explanation on this page is general and is not an RTX5 feature.
Questions readers ask
What is the Coppock Curve used for?
The Coppock Curve is a momentum indicator for stock indexes. StockCharts says Edwin Coppock's original goal was to identify long-term buying opportunities in the S&P 500 and Dow Industrials, and TradingView says it suits long-term strategies on indexes, ETFs and other liquid instruments rather than intraday trading. It describes past price momentum, so a turn can show only after the market has already moved.
What settings does the Coppock Curve use?
StockCharts gives (14, 11, 10): a 14-period and an 11-period rate of change, summed, then smoothed by a 10-period weighted moving average. Its daily example uses (20, 10, 10), which it describes as a little less sensitive. TradingView lists the same inputs but no defaults, so check your platform's settings before you compare readings.
Is a cross above zero a buy signal?
StockCharts describes a cross up into positive territory as a buy signal, and says Coppock focused exclusively on buy signals. A zero-line cross is a rule for reading a chart, not a forecast. StockCharts advises using Coppock Curve signals in conjunction with other technical analysis.
Why do sources give different years for the Coppock Curve?
TradingView says the formula was developed in 1962, and StockCharts says Coppock introduced the indicator in Barron's in October 1965. The cited sources do not reconcile the two dates, so check the original Barron's issue before you quote a year.
Can the Coppock Curve find the exact market bottom?
No. TradingView describes the tool as a way to determine major lows, but the curve is built from past closes and smoothed, so it can show a turn only after prices have moved. StockCharts advises using it with other technical analysis. No reading is a promise of a result.
Keep learning
Know Sure Thing indicatorAnother long-cycle momentum tool, built from several rate-of-change inputs.What is a stock index?The index that the Coppock Curve is designed to read, and how indexes are built.What is MACD?A momentum indicator built from moving averages, useful as a contrast.Stochastic oscillatorA momentum oscillator that compares the close with a recent high-low range.