Gavekal Capital: The Running Total of New 52-Week Highs Keeps Falling Even Though Indices Are Advancing

Sunday, April 6, 2014

The Running Total of New 52-Week Highs Keeps Falling Even Though Indices Are Advancing

We've noted recently here and here the declining number of stocks making new cycle highs even though major indices around the world continue to make cyclical highs. So far we've just shown the chart of the percent of stocks making new highs on individual days and noted that it keeps contracting. Below we'll taken a different tack and show the 1 quarter running total of stocks making new 52-week highs for each of the regional MSCI developed market stock indices. The idea here is the smooth out the series so we can better differentiate signal from noise. 

Theoretically (and usually), when stock indices are advancing and making new cycle highs the move should be accompanied by individual stocks also making new cycle highs, and vice verse. What we note below is that the indices keep making new cycle highs, but the cumulative number of new highs is contracting. This is true especially in the US and in Asia.

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