Are Moving Averages Really A Lagging Indicator?

[Russ]

A lot of poor traders will claim that they won't use moving averages simply because they are "lagging".
Moving averages are built to lag, that's the whole job of a moving average. They are meant to smooth out the price action of the chart.
However, if you use moving averages properly, you can get a predictive quality from them.

With a medium term setting, you will find that the price will move away from, and back to the moving average. This all by itself makes the market much more predictable and easier to trade. With a moving average, I can tell you what direction the market will move, when it will move, and when it's ready for a pullback.

Moving averages are the only tool I need in order to see what the market is most likely going to do, so for me, moving averages are some of the best leading indicators.