Nasdaq Biotechnology Ishares ETF (IBB) shares are showing positive momentum over the past week as the stock has clocked in with gains of 4.03%.  In taking a look at recent performance, we can see that shares have moved 11.20% over the past 4-weeks, 0.94% over the past half year and 5.55% over the past full year.

Investors may be employing many various trading strategies when approaching the markets. Investors may be hoping for sustained upward trends where stocks calmly and steadily advance in that direction. Of course, this isn’t typically the case. Having some foreign exposure in the portfolio may provide overall diversification and also potentially boost performance over time. Investing globally may entail considering the risks of investing in economies that are inherently less developed and thus less liquid. A diversified approach may target foreign markets that have solid growth potential and favorable domestic conditions, such as a stable political setting. Investing globally may require much more research and dedication in order to fully understand the ins and outs.

Nasdaq Biotechnology Ishares ETF (IBB) currently has a 14 day Williams %R of -0.34. In general, if the level goes above -20, the stock may be considered to be overbought. Alternately, if the indicator goes under -80, this may signal that the stock is oversold. The Williams Percent Range or Williams %R is a technical indicator that was developed to measure overbought and oversold market conditions. The Williams %R indicator helps show the relative situation of the current price close to the period being observed.

We can also take a look at the Average Directional Index or ADX of Nasdaq Biotechnology Ishares ETF (IBB). The ADX is used to measure trend strength. ADX calculations are made based on the moving average price range expansion over a specified amount of time. ADX is charted as a line with values ranging from 0 to 100. The indicator is non-directional meaning that it gauges trend strength whether the stock price is trending higher or lower. The 14-day ADX presently sits at 23.66. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would indicate a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would indicate a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would signify an extremely strong trend. At the time of writing, Nasdaq Biotechnology Ishares ETF (IBB) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 138.42. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average.

A commonly used tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a certain period of time. Moving averages can be very helpful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to assist the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA for Nasdaq Biotechnology Ishares ETF (IBB) is sitting at 106.42. 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. The 14-day RSI is presently standing at 74.95, the 7-day is 87.63, and the 3-day is resting at 93.95.

Keeping watch on technicals may involve many different plans and scenarios. Investors may be seeking to get some clarity about a certain stock’s history, and eventually try to project the future. With so much historical data available, investors may choose to look at many different time frames when examining a stock. Going back days, months, of even years, may help broaden the scope and help investors see the bigger picture. When companies gear up to release the next round of quarterly earnings results, investors will be closely watching to see how profitable the overall quarter was. Occasionally, low expectations may provide ample impetus for future stock gains. Per usual, there will most likely be big winners and losers depending on the strength of the individual reports.