Orion Group Holdings Inc (ORN) shares are on chartist’s watch as the stock is edging below the MACD Histogram zero line.  Current levels place the share price around 4.50, while the MACD indicates a bearish trend.

The MACD-Histogram is an indicator of an indicator. In fact, MACD is also an indicator of an indicator. This means that the MACD-Histogram is four steps removed from the price of the underlying security. In other words, it is the fourth derivative of price.

• First derivative: 12-day EMA and 26-day EMA
• Second derivative: MACD (12-day EMA less the 26-day EMA)
• Third derivative: MACD signal line (9-day EMA of MACD)
• Fourth derivative: MACD-Histogram (MACD less MACD signal line)

The base for this indicator is the security’s price. It takes four steps to get from the actual price to the MACD-Histogram. Chartists should keep this in mind when analyzing the MACD-Histogram. It is an indicator of an indicator. Therefore, it is designed to anticipate signals in MACD, which in turn is designed to identify changes in the price momentum of the underlying security.

Occasionally, investors may feel like they are riding on a wild roller coaster when dealing with the stock market. Controlling emotions when taking the ride may assist with making necessary decisions when the time comes. Many investors choose to do thorough research when purchasing any stock. Knowing what is owned and why it is owned may help ease the mind when things get sticky. When the market is riding high and there is generally smooth sailing on the investing seas, individual investors may have the tendency to get complacent. Being prepared for any situation may help ease the stress of big market decision making. There may be a time when it seems like everything is going off the rails, but having an actual game plan for management and recovery could make a huge difference both financially and psychologically. 

Investors may also be looking to gain an edge by following the current technical levels for Orion Group Holdings Inc (ORN). In terms of Moving Averages, the 50-day is 4.46, the 200-day is at 6.84, and the 7-day is 4.85. Using a longer term moving average such as the 200-day may help block out the noise and chaos that is sometimes created by daily price fluctuations. In some cases, MA’s may be used as strong reference points for finding support and resistance levels. Employing the use of the moving average for technical equity analysis is still highly popular among traders and investors. The moving average can be used as a reference point to assist with the discovery of buying and selling opportunities.

Orion Group Holdings Inc (ORN)’s Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -82.52. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would point to an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would signal an oversold situation. The Williams %R was developed by Larry Williams. This is a momentum indicator that is the inverse of the Fast Stochastic Oscillator.

Orion Group Holdings Inc (ORN) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -102.48. Active investors may choose to use this technical indicator as a stock evaluation tool. Used as a coincident indicator, the CCI reading above +100 would reflect strong price action which may signal an uptrend. On the flip side, a reading below -100 may signal a downtrend reflecting weak price action. Using the CCI as a leading indicator, technical analysts may use a +100 reading as an overbought signal and a -100 reading as an oversold indicator, suggesting a trend reversal.

Currently, the 14-day ADX for Orion Group Holdings Inc (ORN) is sitting at 25.10. Generally speaking, an ADX value from 0-25 would indicate an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would identify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would lead to an extremely strong trend. ADX is used to gauge trend strength but not trend direction. Traders often add the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) to identify the direction of a trend.

The RSI, or Relative Strength Index, is a widely used technical momentum indicator that compares price movement over time. The RSI was created by J. Welles Wilder who was striving to measure whether or not a stock was overbought or oversold. The RSI may be useful for spotting abnormal price activity and volatility. The RSI oscillates on a scale from 0 to 100. The normal reading of a stock will fall in the range of 30 to 70. A reading over 70 would indicate that the stock is overbought, and possibly overvalued. A reading under 30 may indicate that the stock is oversold, and possibly undervalued. After a recent check, the 14-day RSI is currently at 45.64, the 7-day stands at 37.93, and the 3-day is sitting at 21.55.

As most investors most likely have learned, there is no easy answer when deciding how to best take aim at the equity market, especially when faced with a volatile investing scenario. There are many different views when it comes to trading stocks. Investors may have to first come up with a plan in order to build a solid platform on which to compile a legitimate strategy. The vast amount of publically available data can seem overwhelming for novice investors. Making sense of the sea of information may do wonders for the health of the individual investor’s holdings.