Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (MACK) shares have seen their Schaff Trend Cycle gradually uptrend this week over the past 3 sessions. While this indicates nice price momentum, it also suggests that if the reading moves into overbought territory (STC of 70), then the liklihood of a reversal greatly increases. Investors will be watching very closely over the next few days to see if the trend contiunes or reverses.
The Schaff Trend Cycle (STC) indicator combines the common indicators of MACD & Stochastic. The benefit of the Schaff Trend Cycle is that it is meant to be quicker than the standard macd and stochastic signals. The indicator uses similar methods to a MACD i.e uses exponetial moving averages but applies a cycle factor to them. Then the ‘price’ is smoothed using a mofidied Wilders’ smoothing algorithm. The Schaff Trend Cycle indicator fluctuates between 0 and 100. Readings below 20 are considered oversold while readings above 80 are considered overbought. The STC indicator fluctuates between 0 and 100. Readings below 20 are considered oversold while readings above 80 are considered overbought.
Investors have a few distinct options when approaching the stock market. One option is to follow the crowd and trade with the consensus. Another way is to go against the herd and adopt a contrarian strategy. When it comes down to it, the investor will typically have to make this decision with their best interests in mind. In general, no investor wants to miss out on a winning stock. Far too often, investors will be overcome with the fear of missing out and get into a stock way too late. Just because a stock has been over performing and seeing large gains does not mean that those gains are going to continue into the future. Investors may be too quick to get into a hot stock without putting in the proper time and energy to research whether or not it is still a good stock at current trading levels. Investors who take the time to do their homework for every trade may find themselves a step ahead of the crowd in the long run.
Taking a deeper look into the technicals, at the time of writing, the 14-day ADX for Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (MACK) is standing at 33.19. Many chart analysts believe that an ADX reading over 25 would suggest a strong trend. A reading under 20 would suggest no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal.
What Is ADX?
The Average Directional Index or ADX. The ADX was created by J. Welles Wilder to help determine how strong a trend is. In general, a rising ADX line means that an existing trend is gaining strength. The opposite would be the case for a falling ADX line.
When getting into the markets, most investors realize that riskier stocks may have an increased potential for higher returns. If investors decide to take a chance on some of these stocks, they may want to employ some standard techniques to help manage that risk. This may involve creating a diversified stock portfolio. Mixing up the portfolio with stocks from different sectors, market caps, and growth potential, may be the right move. In general, the goal is to maximize returns in accordance with the individual’s specific risk profile. It should be obvious that no matter how well rounded the portfolio is, there are always risks in the equity markets. Having a sound plan before investing can help ease the burden of knowing that markets can sometimes do crazy things without any rhyme or reason.
Looking further at additional technical indicators we can see that the 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) for Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (MACK) is sitting at 225.89. CCI is an indicator used in technical analysis that was designed by Donald Lambert. Although it was originally intended for commodity traders to help identify the start and finish of market trends, it is frequently used to analyze stocks as well. A CCI reading closer to +100 may indicate more buying (possibly overbought) and a reading closer to -100 may indicate more selling (possibly oversold).
Moving averages can help spot trends and price reversals. They may also be used to help find support or resistance levels. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators meaning that they confirm trends. A certain stock may be considered to be on an uptrend if trading above a moving average and the average is sloping upward. On the other side, a stock may be considered to be in a downtrend if trading below the moving average and sloping downward. Shares of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (MACK) have a 7-day moving average of 5.22. Taking a glance at the relative strength indictor, we note that the 14-day RSI is currently at 45.88, the 7-day stands at 64.91, and the 3-day is sitting at 83.71.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.
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