Is the whole market joining in?
An index can rise on the back of a few giant stocks while most shares fall. Breadth counts how many of about 300 large US stocks are actually taking part, today and over the last two years.
History
Market Breadth in 30 seconds
The S&P 500 can rise while most of its stocks fall, because a handful of giants carry it. Breadth checks how many stocks are really taking part.
Healthy: most stocks join in
When the index rises and the share of stocks above their 50 and 200 day averages rises with it, the move is broad. Broad rallies have usually been sturdier.
Warning sign: narrow leadership
If the index makes new highs while fewer and fewer stocks sit above their averages, a small group is doing the lifting. Traders call this a divergence.
The A/D line
Each day adds the number of stocks that rose minus the number that fell. A rising line means advancers have outnumbered decliners over time.
Highs minus lows
Stocks at one year highs minus stocks at one year lows. Positive and growing is strength; turning negative while the index is near a high is a crack.
What every number on this page means
- % above 50 day
- Share of the roughly 300 stocks closing above their 50 day average: the short term picture.
- % above 200 day
- The same against the 200 day average: the long term picture. Readings above about 60% are usually read as broad, below about 40% as weak.
- Advance / decline
- Stocks up minus stocks down on the day.
- New highs minus new lows
- Stocks at a one year closing high minus those at a one year low.
- Breadth score
- The homepage score from 0 to 100 that blends these readings with the VIX.
Good to know. Breadth describes participation, not timing: markets can stay narrow for a long time. Nothing here is advice to buy or sell.
How this is measured
- The stocks. About 300 of the largest US listed companies across all sectors, the same list the homepage breadth score uses.
- Above the 50 and 200 day average. The share of those stocks whose closing price is above its own average close of the last 50 or 200 trading days. The 200 day line is a common gauge of the longer trend, the 50 day line of the shorter one.
- Advance and decline line. Each day, the number of stocks that closed higher minus the number that closed lower, added up day after day. A rising line means more stocks are going up than down over time.
- New highs minus new lows. Stocks closing above their highest close of the previous year, minus those closing below their lowest.
- Breadth score. The homepage score from 0 to 100, blending today's advancers, the 50 and 200 day readings, new highs and lows, and the VIX.
- History comes from daily closes and is rebuilt in full every month. Recent days are added after each close.
For education only. Breadth describes what the market has done, not what it will do. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold anything. Data comes from third-party providers and may be delayed. See the Terms and Disclaimer.