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Midday Wave #43 Bearish

Midday Wave #43: Market Floor Falls: Pivot to Defensive Medical Plays – Tuesday 5/12/2026

May 12, 2026 3:44
Episode Summary
The market regime has shifted violently to Very Bearish as breadth collapses 87 points, forcing an immediate tactical pivot. While broad exposure is off the table, specific medical and retail names like EIKN, ABBV, and TTWO show surprising resilience.
Key Takeaways
  • 20SMA breadth crashes 87pp to 71% from yesterday's 158%
  • Sentiment remains Very Bearish at 4% with 430 Bear stocks
  • EIKN surges 15.0% to $11.44 leading medical sector
  • CLSK faces pressure after worse-than-expected Q2 results
  • RAL rallies 4.62% on raised FY2026 EPS guidance
0:00 / 3:44

Midday Situation Check

Bearish regime persists with Sentiment at 4% Very Bearish, while 40SMA breadth sits at 53.5% (down 6.4pp from 59.87% yesterday) and 20SMA breadth collapses to 71% (down 87pp from 158% yesterday).

Market Recap — Session So Far

Market breadth has deteriorated sharply as the session progresses, with a massive contraction in stocks holding above key moving averages.

  • Index prices and specific technical levels are currently unavailable in the data feed for SPY, QQQ, and IWM.
  • Breadth has turned significantly negative, with Bull 4% count at just 85 versus 430 Bear 4% stocks, contrasting sharply with yesterday’s 293 Bull vs 344 Bear split.
  • The 20-day SMA participation rate has plummeted from 158% yesterday to 71% today, indicating a severe loss of short-term momentum across the market.

Momentum Watch — Breakout Continuation & SIP

Despite the broad weakness, specific medical and retail names are showing relative strength with notable intraday moves.

  • EIKN leads the continuation watch with a 15.0% surge to $11.44, though its RVOL remains moderate at 0.6.
  • ABBV and TTWO show institutional interest with 3.2% and 2.7% gains respectively, holding RVOL at 0.3 and 0.5.
  • SIP data reveals DBGI trading down 14.62% from open on guidance concerns, while RAL surges 4.62% after raising FY2026 EPS and sales guidance.

Strategy Check — Continuation, SIP & 20% Study

Current setups favor selective continuation in medical sectors while avoiding broad market exposure due to the 87-point drop in 20SMA breadth.

  • CLSK represents a critical SIP failure with “Worse-than-expected Q2 results” driving sentiment to -2, despite a 1.42% intraday gain from open.
  • The 20% Study from yesterday highlights NVDA at $219.44 and SNDK at $1547.56 as key institutional momentum references, though current intraday confirmation is absent.
  • QCOM is flagged in SIP with “shares trading lower” at $237.53, presenting a potential divergence against the broader tech sector weakness.

Quick Takes & Wrap-Up

Traders should remain defensive as the 20SMA breadth collapse suggests further downside risk unless key levels are reclaimed.

  • DBGI: Watch the $1.46 level as shares trade down on guidance with a 14.62% drop from open.
  • RAL: Monitor $49.56 as the stock rallies on raised FY2026 EPS and sales guidance.
  • Overall bias remains bearish for the afternoon session given the 87 percentage point drop in 20SMA participation and Very Bearish sentiment.
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