McClellan Summation Index Indicator

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The McClellan Summation Index is a long-term market breadth indicator developed by Sherman and Marian McClellan.

It is essentially a cumulative version of the McClellan Oscillator, designed to track intermediate to major market trends and reversals.

Understanding the McClellan Summation Index

This index helps traders and analysts assess bullish or bearish market sentiment and the strength of trends.

Unlike traditional price-based indices such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the McClellan Summation Index provides a unique perspective by quantifying market movements based on stock advances and declines.

Key Levels and Interpretation

The McClellan Summation Index has a neutral reading around +1,000, but over time, the thresholds for overbought and oversold levels have expanded due to the increase in the number of stocks traded on exchanges like the NYSE.

Some basic rules of thumb for interpreting the index include:

• Major market bottoms often occur below -1,300
• Major tops are usually associated with divergence above +1,600
• Large bull runs may be indicated when the index crosses above +1,900 after gaining 3,600 points from a prior low

Calculation of the McClellan Summation Index

The McClellan Summation Index is calculated by adding the current day’s McClellan Oscillator value to the previous day’s Summation Index value, making it a cumulative indicator of market movements.

This allows the index to reflect the ongoing impact of stock advances and declines over time, offering a long-term view of market trends.

Concluding Thoughts

The McClellan Summation Index is a powerful tool in technical analysis for identifying intermediate to major market trends.

Its ability to gauge market sentiment and signal potential tops and bottoms provides valuable insights for traders and investors seeking to navigate broad market movements beyond simple price-based analysis.

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