Stephen J. Klinger developed the Klinger Oscillator in the late 1970s as a method to combine price and volume to more accurately reveal the strength or weakness underlying a trend. At a time when most indicators focused only on price, Klinger believed that volume, especially what he called volume force, held valuable clues about market direction.
Klinger shared his oscillator in trading newsletters and technical journals of the time, describing it as a way to catch changes in trend before they became evident in the price. It was designed to respond to rapid price fluctuations while maintaining alignment with broader volume trends, distinguishing it from other tools that rely solely on volume.
Although it never gained the popularity of tools like MACD or RSI, the Klinger Oscillator still has a place among technical analysts and swing traders who rely on volume confirmation to support their trading decisions.

Klinger Oscillator Formula
Typical Price (TP)
TP = (High + Low + Close) / 3
Volume Force (VF)
First, determine the trend direction:
- If Current TP > Previous TP → Trend = +1
- If Current TP < Previous TP → Trend = –1
- Otherwise → Trend = Previous Trend
Then calculate:
VF = Volume × Trend × 100 × (Current TP – Previous TP) / Current TP
Klinger Oscillator (KO)
KO = EMA34(VF) – EMA55(VF)
Signal Line (Optional)
Signal Line = EMA13(KO)
Basic Trading Signals
The Klinger Oscillator generates basic trading signals through crossovers and zero line movements. A standard method is to watch for the oscillator crossing above or below its signal line, which can indicate a shift in momentum driven by volume. When the oscillator rises above the signal line, it may suggest a buying opportunity, while a drop below can signal potential weakness. Additionally, movements above or below the zero line provide broader confirmation of trend direction. These signals are often more reliable when combined with other indicators or chart patterns, which helps reduce false positives.
Signal Line Crossovers
- Buy Signal: When the Klinger Oscillator crosses above its signal line (typically a 13-period EMA).
- Sell Signal: When the Oscillator crosses below the signal line.
These crossovers indicate a possible change in momentum confirmed by volume.
Zero Line Cross
- Bullish Confirmation: Oscillator moves above zero, showing positive volume momentum.
- Bearish Confirmation: Oscillator drops below zero, signalling negative volume pressure.
Some traders use zero line crosses as confirmation, not entry signals.
Divergence Trading
- Bullish Divergence
- Price makes a lower low, but the Klinger Oscillator makes a higher low.
This indicates weakening downside pressure and a potential upward reversal.
Bearish Divergence
- Price makes a higher high, but the Oscillator makes a lower high.
- This suggests a fading of buying strength and a potential reversal downward.
Divergences work best when combined with price action or support/resistance levels.
Tips for Effective Use
Use the indicator on 4H or daily timeframes for cleaner signals. Combine with candlestick patterns, trendlines, or moving averages. Avoid using alone in low volume or sideways markets.
How To Install & Remove
First, ensure that you have the cTrader trading platform installed. Then, unzip the file and double-click it to automatically install the platform.
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