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EMA vs AI: Science Says Old School Beats New Tech for Long-Term Gains

Rick Sullivan 🦆's avatar
Rick Sullivan 🦆
Oct 11, 2024
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Hey!

Here on NASDUCK, I’m always on the lookout for strategies backed by solid data. Today, we're having a closer look at some staggering numbers from recent research on the Exponential Moving Average (EMA).

TL;DR

Exponential Moving Average (EMA) outperforms other methods for long-term stock predictions. Key points:

  • 50-day EMA showed impressive accuracy, with only 4.88% error for Apple stock

  • EMA consistently beat other methods across various stocks (AAPL, AMZN, GOOG, TSLA, etc.)

  • For long-term predictions, EMA (11.51% error) outperformed AI-based LSTM (26.54% error)

  • Use 50-day EMA as your primary tool; calculate daily using the provided formula

  • Implement crossover strategies with 50-day and 200-day EMAs for potential buy/sell signals

  • EMA works best for stable stocks but is still valuable for volatile ones

  • While AI excels in short-term predictions, stick with EMA for long-term forecasts

  • Combine EMA with other analyses for a comprehensive investment strategy

EMA Shines in Long-Term Predictions

A study published in Neural Computing and Applications journal has revealed some compelling insights:

  1. EMA outperformed other methods in long-term stock price predictions across multiple major stocks.

  2. For Apple (AAPL) stock, EMA showed an impressive error rate of just 4.88% for long-term predictions.

  3. Even for more volatile stocks like Tesla (TSLA), EMA maintained a respectable 12.99% error rate for long-term forecasts.

Error rates for long-term stock predictions: EMA consistently outperforms other methods
  • With error rates consistently lower than other methods, EMA proves to be a reliable tool for long-term stock analysis.

  • EMA's effectiveness varies by stock. It's particularly strong for stable blue-chip stocks like Apple, but still valuable for more volatile stocks.

  • Across all six stocks studied (AAPL, AMZN, BXPH, GOOG, NFLX, TSLA), EMA showed lower error rates than Simple Moving Average (SMA) for long-term predictions.

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Actionable Advice with Specific Numbers

  1. 50-Day EMA Focus: The study used a 50-day EMA for their calculations. Make this a central part of your analysis toolkit.

  2. AAPL Strategy: For Apple stock, a 50-day EMA yielded a 4.88% error rate. Use this as a benchmark for your AAPL predictions.

  3. AMZN Insights: Amazon showed a 4.72% error rate with 50-day EMA. Consider this when analyzing e-commerce giants.

  4. Volatile Stock Approach: For more volatile stocks like Tesla (12.99% error rate), use EMA in conjunction with other indicators for a more comprehensive view.

50-day EMA trend chart for Apple stock: Visualizing the 4.88% error rate in action

Putting EMA to Work: The Secret Formula

If you want to calculate your 50-day EMA manually, use this formula:

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