Trend Screener Insights is an analysis and education column covering both the principles of trend-following and the indicators this site computes every trading day. Relative strength (RS), the eight Trend Template criteria, moving averages, volume, risk management, market breadth — what the numbers on the screener actually mean, and where they come from.
These articles use the same rules as the screener itself. The RS weighting (40% on 3 months, 30% on 1 month, 20% on 6 months, 10% on 1 week), the eight Trend Template conditions, and the cap-weighted composite return behind the industry score (0–100) are exactly what the code applies after each close. Anything described here is reproducible on the screener — you can inspect both the calculation and its interpretation limits.
None of it is a recommendation to buy or sell a particular stock. Every indicator has regimes where it fails, which is why each article ends with its own limitations and common misreadings. Investment decisions, and their consequences, are the reader’s own.
Where to start
The articles are written to be read in sequence. If trend-following is new to you, this order works best.
- The premise — what trend-following assumes, and the two pillars of stock selection and risk management.
- The rules — relative strength and the eight Trend Template criteria are the pass/fail logic of the screener itself.
- The entry — VCP, moving averages, and volume cover where on the chart you actually buy.
- Execution and defence — breakouts and pullbacks choose the entry style; stops, scaling, and sizing protect the account.
- The layer above — reading market breadth outranks every judgement below it.
If you need the tool first, start with the guide; the full computation rules are in the methodology, and unfamiliar terms are defined in the glossary. Common questions are collected in the FAQ.
Fundamentals
Start with what trend-following actually assumes. Separate watchlist selection from trading rules.
Using a Screener to Examine Trend Following
2026-06-20 · Fundamentals
Separate a ranked watchlist from a trading strategy, with a dated example of trend-qualified stocks that still fell.
Indicators
The numbers on the screener — RS, moving averages, volume — what each one measures and how to read it.
Reproducing RS — Weighted Returns and Ranking Limits
2026-06-20 · Indicators
The site-specific return weights, percentile calculation and market denominators, with a frozen RS-90 comparison.
Moving Averages — Slope and Extension Answer Different Questions
2026-07-01 · Indicators
Worked SMA and EMA calculations, 20-day extension and the limits of moving-average support.
Volume Analysis — Relative Volume and Unidentified Buyers
2026-07-01 · Indicators
Work through average-volume units and explain why total volume does not identify institutional accumulation.
ADR% Calculation — Intraday Range Is Not Expected Return
2026-08-06 · Indicators
Reproduce the 20-day high/low ratio, compare frozen medians and separate intraday range from gap risk.
Patterns
The problem after you have the pass list: narrowing down where on the chart you buy.
The Eight Trend Conditions — Rules and Boundary Values
2026-07-01 · Patterns
Reproduce the screener conditions, strict versus inclusive comparisons and the separate volume filter.
Measuring VCP — Contractions and Failure Definitions
2026-07-01 · Patterns
Calculate hypothetical contraction depths and distinguish a visual pattern from the screener filters.
Strategy
The same leader list supports different entries. Breakouts versus pullbacks — conditions and stop placement compared.
Testing Breakouts — Pivot, Close and Fill Are Different
2026-07-01 · Strategy
Compare three crossing rules and hypothetical gap fills without assuming a breakout success rate.
Pullback Risk — Average Proximity versus Trend Damage
2026-07-01 · Strategy
Calculate distance, position size and gap risk, and identify bias in retrospectively chosen rebounds.
Risk Management
The half to learn first. Every indicator fails sometimes, and protecting the account is a rule, not a forecast.
Position Size and R — Planned Risk versus Actual Loss
2026-07-01 · Risk Management
Calculate hypothetical position size, recovery and R multiples, then account for gaps, costs and correlated positions.
Market
The layer above single-stock judgement. Check denominators and dates; distinguish individual conditions from market aggregates.
Breadth and TSS — Why Pass Rate Is Not the Market Score
2026-07-01 · Market
Compare frozen U.S. and Korean pass rates with TSS, while controlling for different universes and measures.
Why RS 90 Can Fail — Signal Disagreement in 7,245 Stocks
2026-10-05 · Market
A reproducible 2026-10-02 snapshot of 4,809 U.S. and 2,436 Korean stocks comparing RS, qualification, liquidity, extension and TSS.
Articles are added after checking measurements, sources and interpretation limits. Existing ones are revised to keep their cases and data current; each carries its publication date and last update at the top.