There are 4 different SMA related "breadth" indicators:
index % stocks
1 above 20d SMA
2 above 50d SMA
3 above 100s SMA
4 above 200d SMA
if the index itself (say, S&P-1500) is trading above 20d-SMA, it doesn't make sense to look into % stocks above 100d SMA or 200d SMA.
The 200d SMA is far below the current price, there should be tons of index stocks trading above 200-d SMA,
you want to take a look at the % stocks above 20d SMA or 50d SMA for divergences between the index price and % stocks trading above the same SMA.
if the index is trading >20d SMA, but there are only 40% of index stocks trading >20d SMA or 60% of stocks trading >50d SMA, there is a divergence
if the index is trading between 50d & 100d SMA, then one should look into % of stocks trading >100d and 200d SMA for divergences.
if the index is trading <200d SMA, it does not make sense to look into % stocks trading >20-d SMA, just noise
one should look into % stocks trading >200d SMA for positive divergence; if % stocks above 200d SMA picking up BIGLY on a down day, then BTFD due to positive divergence.
example:
Today
% Russell 3000 stocks above 200-day SMA
Russell 3000 index is trading above 10-day SMA, it does not make sense to look into % stock above 200-day SMA; tons of stocks would be trading above 200-day SMA, it would take a sizable correction to take this number down.
Today
% Russell 3000 stocks >20-day SMA
below breadth would make some sense for divergence:
it dipped below 30% last week when small-cap lagging other indices; it picked BIGLY the last few days due to small-cap short-squeeze, you wouldn't find this info in the previous chart.
1 Machine Learning for Factor Investing R Version
by Tony Guida; Sep 1, 2020
2 Algorithmic Trading: A Practitioner's Guide Paperback – by Jeffrey M Bacidore; July 20, 2020
3. Machine Learning for Algorithmic Trading: Predictive models to extract signals from market and alternative data for systematic trading strategies with Python, 2nd Edition Paperback – July 31, 2020
by Stefan Jansen
- this is the best one for 2020 from my reading list.
For newbie Algo traders. Free
a great introductory algo book written by a real trader & well-respected hedge fund mgr, who divulged some of his most profitable strategies
Trading Evolved: Anyone can Build Killer Trading Strategies in Python Kindle (free)