Market Breadth Analysis Fundamentals

Essential guide to understanding market breadth indicators, participation metrics, and how to use them for market timing and trend analysis.

Market breadth measures the participation of stocks in market moves. Strong breadth confirms sustainable trends, while deteriorating breadth often precedes market reversals.

Key Insights

Point 1

Important

Advance-decline line as primary breadth indicator

Point 2

Important

Percentage of stocks above moving averages

Point 3

Important

New highs vs new lows analysis

Point 4

Important

Volume-based breadth indicators

Point 5

Important

Sector participation and rotation patterns

Practical Applications

1

Monitor A/D line divergences from price action

2

Use %Above 50MA for trend strength assessment

3

Track new highs expansion in uptrends

4

Watch for breadth thrust signals (>90% stocks up)

5

Combine multiple breadth metrics for confirmation