Moving Average/Weighted

Mathematical Definition: Weighted moving average

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In technical analysis of financial data, a weighted moving average (WMA) has the specific meaning of weights that decrease in arithmetical progression.[1] In an n-day WMA the latest day has weight n, the second latest n − 1, etc., down to one. These weights create a discrete probability distribution with:

  and  

The weighted moving average can be calculated for   with the discrete probability mass function   at time  , where   is the initial day, when data collection of the financial data begins and   the price/cost of a product at day  .   the price/cost of a product at day   for an arbitrary day x.

 
 
WMA weights n = 15

The denominator is a triangle number equal to   which creates a discrete probability distribution by:

 

The graph at the right shows how the weights decrease, from highest weight at day t for the most recent datum points, down to zero at day t-n.

In the more general case with weights   the denominator will always be the sum of the individual weights, i.e.:

  and   as weight for for the most recent datum points at day t and   as weight for the day  , which is n-th day before the most recent day  .

The discrete probability distribution   is defined by:

 

The weighted moving average with arbitrary weights is calculated by:

 

This general approach can be compared to the weights in the exponential moving average in the following section.

  1. "Weighted Moving Averages: The Basics". Investopedia.