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US Market Momentum Weekly · 16 October 2026

2026-10-16

US market breadth weakened again this week. The share of stocks above their 50-day reading fell to 28.65%, down 0.41 percentage points, meaning fewer than one in three stocks is still holding above its shorter-term average. The 150-day reading dropped to 42.18% and the 200-day reading to 43.94%, declines of 1.64 and 2.35 percentage points respectively. In plain terms, the pullback was concentrated at the longer end, which suggests the pressure reflects a broader erosion rather than a single sharp short-term shakeout. The combined reading, at 38.26%, slipped 1.47 percentage points.

The trend is now classified as Difficult, with the direction down for 1 week. That pattern usually points to a market where participation has thinned across the board rather than in isolated pockets, and the Difficult band captures that the majority of stocks sit below their medium- and long-term averages.

What stands out is the gap to the signal lines. The combined reading sits 4.89 percentage points below its 20-trading-day signal line and 24.34 percentage points below its 50-trading-day signal line. The wider gap at the longer horizon indicates that breadth has been fading for some time, not just in the latest stretch. Meaning: the current reading is well under both reference levels, and the shortfall is more pronounced against the longer signal line.

About this metric

This report measures the share of stocks in the market trading above their 50-day, 150-day and 200-day moving averages. The composite is the arithmetic mean of the three percentages and gauges the breadth of participation. Moving averages use adjusted prices, and stocks without enough history for a given average are excluded from that day. These are our own definitions, provided for research reference.

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This report draws on our four-market momentum metric. Members can view the full historical series, cross-market comparisons, relative strength and pattern analysis tools.

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For research reference only. Not investment advice.