The Detrended Synthetic Price Indicator for MetaTrader 4 was first developed by John Ehlers. It is designed to show overbought and oversold market conditions and highlight potential trend reversals. Unlike traditional indicators, this version displays data as a histogram at the bottom of your chart, making it easy to visualize market momentum.
This indicator is suitable for forex traders of all experience levels but works best when combined with other technical analysis tools due to its inherent lag.

How the Detrended Synthetic Price Indicator Works
The indicator appears as vertical histogram bars that change color based on market conditions:
- Price Zero-Line Crossings:
- Green bars → Price crosses the zero line from below → potential buy signal
- Red bars → Price crosses the zero line from above → potential sell signal
- Slope Change Reversals:
- When enabled, the indicator changes bar color based on slope shifts:
- Red to Green → Downtrend reversal to uptrend
- Green to Red → Uptrend reversal to downtrend
- When enabled, the indicator changes bar color based on slope shifts:
By interpreting these histogram bars, traders can anticipate overbought or oversold conditions and possible trend reversals.
How to Use the Indicator in MT4
- Apply the Detrended Synthetic Price indicator to your MT4 chart.
- Choose your preferred mode:
- Zero-line crossing for trend-following signals
- Slope change for early reversal detection
- Monitor the histogram bars:
- Green bars → potential long entries
- Red bars → potential short entries
- Combine the indicator with technical analysis, candlestick patterns, or other indicators to improve entry accuracy.
- Keep in mind that the indicator lags, so it may signal after the initial market move.
Why Traders Use This Indicator
- Visualizes overbought and oversold conditions clearly
- Helps identify potential trend reversals
- Easy-to-read histogram format at the bottom of the chart
- Suitable for Scalping, intraday, and swing trading
- Enhances other technical strategies when used as a supplementary tool
By incorporating this indicator into a broader trading plan, traders can make more informed decisions and reduce the risk of false entries.
Conclusion
The Detrended Synthetic Price Indicator for MT4 is a histogram-based tool that highlights overbought/oversold conditions and potential trend reversals. While it lags, it provides valuable insights into market momentum and can complement other technical analysis tools for improved trade timing.