Indexes and ETFs
Stock Market Breadth Was Weakening Even Before Friday’s Sharp Selloff

Stock Market Breadth Was Weakening Even Before Friday’s Sharp Selloff

Renewed coronavirus fears hammered stocks on Friday. But even before the selloff, key market internals were weakening. Technical analysts often study breadth, the aggregate behavior of stocks within key indexes. This can help assess the strength of a broader move. Is...

Megacaps Report This Week, But Small Caps Could Be Nearing a Breakout

Megacaps Report This Week, But Small Caps Could Be Nearing a Breakout

Giant Nasdaq stocks like Apple and Amazon.com report earnings this week, but another corner of the market could deserve some attention. The Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has made a series of higher lows since mid-August. Some chart watchers may consider that a bullish...

Tesla and the VIX: Two Big Numbers Reached in Today’s Session

Tesla and the VIX: Two Big Numbers Reached in Today’s Session

Tesla and Cboe's volatility index -- the "fear gauge" -- closed at two important levels today. First, Elon Musk's electric-car maker ended the session at $893. That's slightly below the all-time record of $900.40 early this year. However it was the highest closing...

Technical Analysis: Small Caps Hold Their Ground as Other Stocks Crumble

Technical Analysis: Small Caps Hold Their Ground as Other Stocks Crumble

The Russell 2000 had a sharp rally in late 2020 and early 2021. Now it may be setting up for a similar move. Notice the triangle forming on the small cap index recently, which is interesting for two reasons. First, it shows that prices are squeezing into a range....

Is the S&P 500 Rolling Over? Check Out Today’s Technical Analysis

Is the S&P 500 Rolling Over? Check Out Today’s Technical Analysis

The S&P 500 has climbed for seven straight months. But it may face some near-term challenges as September gets underway. The main pattern on today’s chart is the resistance line running along the highs since mid-April. Notice how prices have stalled once again at...

Climbing a Wall of Worry, Stocks Just Did Something Highly Unusual

Climbing a Wall of Worry, Stocks Just Did Something Highly Unusual

The S&P 500 just did something highly unusual: It had two consecutive "outside days." That's when prices make a lower low and a higher high than the previous session. It's often considered a reversal pattern, which makes the activity so interesting. It was only...