The four stages and sub-stages definitions from Stan Weinstein's Global Trend Alert

The purpose of this Study Guide will be to help people learn to identify the Stages and to emphasise the importance of a full analysis taking into account the various technical attributes that we look to for guidance in determining the Stages i.e. price action in relation to the 10 and 30 week moving averages, volume, relative performance versus the market and the sector, support and resistance zones etc.

One of the core components of Stan Weinstein's method is the use of Relative Performance compared to an index such as the S&P 500, to a sector or to another stock. Which was referred to in his book as Relative Strength.

The following is a checklist to work through to determine the quality of the breakout and whether it meets the methods requirements. The starting point for Weinstein's method when looking to buy a stock is first to consider Stan's "Forest to the Trees" Approach:

It's hard to sit through an entire Stage 2 advance, as there are usually a number of significant pullbacks towards the 30 week moving average which try to shake people out of the stock. The following is a breakdown of Fords entire Stage 2 advance from late 2012 until the end of 2013