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Common characteristics of the relative strength plot

The relative strength plot tends to show a number of common characteristics. Historically, markets have continued to rise in line with the momentum of global economic growth. As the market rises, the price of the average share also tends to rise over the long term. If the share price of this average share faithfully tracks the rising movement of the market, then its relative strength plot remains absolutely horizontal. In a rising market, therefore, share price plots should show an upward trend, with relative strength plots tending towards the horizontal. Thus in most cases, under average market conditions, the relative strength plot (the broken line) tends to run beneath the share price plot (solid line).

However, when conditions take a downturn, these effects are reversed for the duration of a falling market. This is visible in the graph when the share price plot descends more quickly (or rises more slowly) than the relative strength plot. Over a longer period of market depression, the relative strength plot of the average company tends to run above the share price plot.

This can be illustrated by visualising a company whose share price moves perfectly in line with the market. For such a company, the relative strength plot is a perfectly horizontal flat line. In a rising market, the share price plot for that company is going up all the time, i.e. rising above the horizontal relative strength plot. In a falling market, the opposite will occur, and the share price plot for that company is going down all the time, ie. falling below the horizontal relative strength plot.

In a market which is completely flat, for any given individual share price trend, the relative strength plot tracks it precisely. If the share price goes up, the relative strength plot rises with it; if the price plot moves downwards, the relative strength movement is identical.

In practice, the normal pattern lies somewhere between these extremes. The market tends to be rising, and therefore both the price plot and its relative strength follow an upward trend, with the price plot rising slightly faster. The rate of change for the price itself is greater than its rate of change relative to the market as a whole.


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