Recent improvement in small-cap price indexes has led to gains in various measures of internal market strength, but thus far that progress has been inconclusive. Lowry’s OCO Segmented Adv-Dec Lines offer perspective - while large-cap breadth approaches an upside break, mid- and small-caps remain in downtrends.
Ideally, breakouts in both the OCO Mid- and Small-Cap Adv-Dec Lines above their respective August 2022 highs would confirm a market trend change to the upside. These observations reinforce the idea of the “mega-cap mirage,” which may be prematurely projecting the illusion of a new bull market, as it is historically small-cap stocks that lead the charge from major bottoms. However, if smaller-cap stocks continue to rise, and the Lowry indicators change course, the weight of evidence could shift in favor of an improbable long-term advance.