Tenkan-sen
The Tenkan-sen, or Ichimoku conversion line, is the average of the highest high and lowest low over the last 9 periods, used as a short-term trend gauge.
The Tenkan-sen (conversion line) is one of the five components of Ichimoku Kinko Hyo. It is computed as the midpoint of the last 9 periods' range: (9-period highest high + 9-period lowest low) / 2. Unlike a classic moving average that smooths closing prices, it is built from price extremes: it reacts quickly to impulses and flattens into horizontal steps as soon as the market consolidates, because the highest high and lowest low stop moving.
How to read and use it
The Tenkan-sen acts as a short-term trend gauge: an upward slope reflects recent bullish momentum, a downward slope bearish momentum, and a flat line a directionless market. Its cross with the Kijun-sen (the 26-period base line) is one of the most watched Ichimoku signals, generally considered more meaningful when it happens above the cloud. In Screener.Trading, the Tenkan-sen is one of the Ichimoku lines available in screener rules: you can, for instance, filter assets whose price just reclaimed the Tenkan, or whose Tenkan just crossed the Kijun.
On its own, the Tenkan-sen produces many false signals: combine it with the price's position relative to the cloud (Kumo) to filter out noise.
Frequently asked questions
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- FeatureCharts built for technical analysis13 stackable indicators, a full drawing toolkit and annotations that are still there every time you come back to a symbol.
- IndicatorIchimoku Kinko HyoA complete analysis system in a single indicator: five lines and a cloud that show trend, key levels and momentum at a glance.
- GlossaryKijun-senThe Kijun-sen, or Ichimoku base line, is the average of the highest high and lowest low over the last 26 periods, seen as the market's medium-term equilibrium level.
- GlossaryKumo (Ichimoku cloud)The Kumo, or Ichimoku cloud, is the area between the Senkou Spans A and B, projected forward, which materialises support and resistance and sets the market's bullish or bearish bias.
- GlossaryChikou SpanThe Chikou Span is the current closing price shifted 26 periods back, used in Ichimoku to confirm a trend by comparing today's price with past price action.
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