Trend indicators help to find out If there is a trend in the market and how it is moving. These indicators are called oscillators because they move in a wavelike pattern between high and low levels. Because price data is smoothed and the trend is displayed by a single line, as in the case of a moving average, these are commonly referred to as trend-following indicators. The smoothing technique causes the indicators to lag price fluctuations. Most trend indicators lose money during a range market due to changes in a tight price band tend to whipsaw traders in and out of their positions.