The P&F chart below shows the Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) with 30-cent boxes to capture the medium-term trend. Notice that this chart extends back to January, which is marked by the red numeral 1 in the first column. The ETF broke the bullish support line in... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups. First, we have a stockbroker testing a major support zone. Second, there is a cell phone maker gapping higher and holding the gap. Third, a shipper is showing signs of life with a big move. The fourth chart features an internet company with... READ MORE
Stocks edged higher on Wednesday with the major index ETFs posting modest gains. The economic reports continue to be positive with the ISM Services Index coming in well above 50 and the ADP report showing 179000 new private sector jobs. Also note that the Fed's beige book showed... READ MORE
The Dow Industrials hit another new high this week, but IBM did not help the cause and remains well below its mid April high. This means IBM shows relative weakness, which is confirmed by the StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR). The SCTR (red line) is below 20 and has spent most... READ MORE
Stocks put in a lackluster performance as the market awaits a data deluge in the coming days. We have the ADP Employment Report, Fed Beige Book and ISM Services today. Initial Claims and the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting are Thursday. And, of course, Friday is non-farm payrolls. Automakers... READ MORE
The Dollar Tree chart shows two breakaway gaps in opposite directions. The first breakaway gap occurred in November and started a downtrend. The second breakaway gap occurred in late May and held for over a week. Like the November gap, this gap occurred on high volume and could signal the... READ MORE
Stocks put in a mixed performance on Monday with large-caps and mid-caps edging higher, and small-caps moving lower. The gains and losses were contained and not enough to affect the short-term trends. Five of the nine sector SPDRs were up, but the gains and losses were... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups. A video game maker is consolidating within an uptrend. A teen apparel retailer triggered a bear trap after a failed support break. A women's apparel retailer is consolidating after a gap-reversal. A fertilizer company formed a big bullish continuation pattern.... READ MORE
Looking for relative performance leaders? Look no further than the StockCharts home page and the top SCTR movers. The StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) tables can be found on the home page near the bottom. Click the "top up" tab to see the biggest gainers and "top down&... READ MORE
The S&P 500 SPDR and 20+ YR T-Bond ETF extended their uptrends with new highs last week, but this positive correlation could get a big test with a full economic docket this week. The Dow Diamonds, Nasdaq 100 ETF, Equal-Weight S&P 500 ETF and... READ MORE
While falling yields translate into lower borrowing costs for the borrower, they are not always positive for the lender. In particular, the recent decline in the 10-Year Treasury Yield ($TNX) caused the spread between the 10-year yield and the 2-year yield to narrow (red dashed line). The... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups from across the board. A key industrial metal retraced 50-62% of its prior advance and may hit resistance soon. A game retailer with high short interest gapped up. An oil services company shows signs of firming in a key retracement zone. Oil... READ MORE
Note that I will be taking a day off on Friday and Art's charts will not be updated until Monday. Stocks took a breather on Wednesday with small losses in the major index ETFs. The Russell 2000 ETF and Russell MicroCap iShares suffered the biggest losses, but the... READ MORE
The chart below shows year-to-date relative performance for four sector SPDRs (XLK, XLF, XLI and XLY). Notice that the XLK:SPY ratio shot up over the last two weeks and moved to its highest level of the year (above the February peak). In fact, the XLK:SPY ratio... READ MORE
Stocks were higher again on Tuesday with small-caps leading the way. The Russell 2000 ETF and Russell MicroCap iShares gained 1.44% and 1.92%, respectively. Strength in small-caps triggered a breakout in IWM as it moved above its mid May high. The Finance SPDR and Technology SPDR... READ MORE
Intel (INTC) is leading the semiconductor group higher with a move above its upper Bollinger Band. Notice how the bands contracted as volatility narrowed over the last few weeks. The breakout signals what could be the start of a volatility expansion and continuation higher. Chartists can use the recent lows... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups in various groups. We start with a semiconductor stock making a breakout on high volume. Next, there are two retailers with bullish continuation patterns forming. Both broke out with gaps and are now consolidating. Fourth, we have another semiconductor stock bouncing off support... READ MORE
Last week was a pretty good week for stocks. First, small-caps led the market as the Russell 2000 ETF gained over 2%. Second, the Consumer Discretionary SPDR led the sectors higher with a 2.09% gain. Third, Treasuries actually fell as the 20+ YR T-Bond ETF lost .74%... READ MORE
The Global Uranium ETF (URA) has had a tough eleven weeks with a decline from 19 to 14, but support may be at hand. The October-November lows marked support in the 14 area and the ETF firmed here with an inside week last week. Also notice that CCI is... READ MORE
Stocks moved higher on Thursday with another lopsided advance. The Russell 2000 ETF gained around 1%, but the S&P 500 SPDR gained just .30%. Small-caps led and large-caps lagged. Eight of the nine sectors were higher with the consumer discretionary and finance sectors leading. Homebuilders contributed... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups in various groups. We start with an internet stock that is firming in a gap zone and retracement area. There is a clothing retailer with a bearish wedge. Next up is a hospital stock that appears to be healing with a gap and... READ MORE
Stocks rebounded on Wednesday with large-caps leading the way. The Dow Diamonds (DIA) and S&P 100 ETF (OEF) rose around 1%. All sectors were up with consumer discretionary and industrials leading. Note, however, that the Retail SPDR (XRT) and the Home Construction iShares (ITB) did not lead... READ MORE
After stalling in March and April, the Metals & Miners SPDR (XME) turned lower in May and broke a key support zone. Notice how XME held the 41 area for two months and then broke this zone twice in May. The indicator window shows the price relative (XME:SPY ratio)... READ MORE
Stocks came under selling pressure with retailers leading the way lower. The Russell 2000 ETF and Russell MicroCap iShares lost around 1.5% on Tuesday. The S&P 500 SPDR and Nasdaq 100 ETF led up relatively well with losses of .63% and .36%, respectively. Yes, the song remains... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups in various groups. A little chip maker found support near its prior gap with a breakout the last two days. An offshore driller shows signs of buying pressure after a breakout. An auto maker bounces off support. An industrial supply stock firms near... READ MORE
Stocks rallied on Monday with techs and small-caps leading the way. The Russell 2000 ETF gained over 1% and the Nasdaq 100 Equal-Weight ETF advanced .85% on the day. Seven of the nine sector SPDRs were higher with technology, finance and consumer discretionary leading. Their gains, however, were... READ MORE
Stocks remain mixed overall, but selling pressure is quietly spreading. The S&P 500 SPDR and Nasdaq 100 ETF continue to hold up well, but the Russell 2000 ETF and small-caps remain relatively weak. The market as a whole remains vulnerable as long as small-caps under perform.... READ MORE
As noted in ChartWatchers two weeks ago, rising wedges are appearing on some key charts and chartists should watch these closely for directional clues. Even though the rising wedge can be a bearish continuation pattern, keep in mind that the immediate trend is up as long as the wedge rises.... READ MORE
Stocks took it on the chin Thursday with the major index ETFs falling across the board. Reading the financial media, one would have expected 2+ percent declines and blood in the street. The losses, however, where relatively modest and the Russell 2000 did not lead the way lower. The Dow... READ MORE
Pimco's Bill Gross called his new secular investment theme "the new neutral". Gross expects slow economic growth and low real interest rates over the next five years, and this will fuel the hunt for yield. We can already see the hunt for yield playing out in... READ MORE
Small-caps once again led the market lower with the Russell 2000 ETF and Russell MicroCap iShares losing over 1.5% on the day. The Dow Diamonds and S&P 500 SPDR held up relatively well and lost around .5% on Wednesday. The offensive sectors led lower with the... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups in various groups. Facebook, the king of social networking, has a big reversal pattern taking shape. Flir Systems fell sharply and then formed a bearish continuation pattern. SCP Pool is suffering long with housing stocks and formed rising flag the last few weeks.... READ MORE
Stocks were mixed on Tuesday with the Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) falling around 1% and the S&P 500 SPDR (SPY) advancing .1% on the day. Eight of the nine sector SPDRs were up, and just one down. The gains were small with the Energy SPDR (XLE) leading the... READ MORE
Stocks surged with a broad-based rally led by small-caps. The Russell 2000 ETF and the Russell MicroCap iShares gained over 2%, while the Dow Diamonds and S&P 500 SPDR gained less than 1%. It was a lopsided rally, but a little relative strength in small-caps... READ MORE
Today's charts feature five setups in various groups. Air Gas recovered from a support break and broke flag resistance. BB&T, a regional bank, held above its February low and bounced on good volume the last two days. Immersion continues to toy with support as it gapped... READ MORE
Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), which is part of the important retail group, is showing strength with a gap and surge. Notice that this gap-surge came after the stock formed a doji and then a bullish engulfing. The doji signals indecision and the bullish engulfing is a bullish candlestick... READ MORE
Not much happened in the stock market last week. The Dow Diamonds advanced .59%, the Nasdaq 100 ETF fell .79%, the S&P 500 SPDR decline just .05% and the Russell 2000 ETF lost 1.79%. The nine sector SPDRs were split with four up and five down. The... READ MORE
Symantec is popping after reporting earnings on Thursday. The chart below shows the stock with a selling climax in mid March, a recovery into early April and a consolidation the last few weeks. With today's gap, the stock is on the verge of a consolidation breakout. The left... READ MORE
The bulls tried to rally the market in early trading, but the early gains failed to hold as stocks moved lower in the afternoon. Once again, the Russell 2000 ETF and Russell MicroCap iShares led the way lower. The Nasdaq 100 ETF, Dow Diamonds and S&P 500 SPDR... READ MORE
Small-caps are underperforming large-caps and microcaps are underperforming small-caps. Microcaps are similar to the momentum names in that they represent the high beta end of the stock market. The chart below shows the Russell MicroCap iShares (IWC) breaking below its February low with a 14% decline. The... READ MORE