Weekend Winners and Losers - Alert HQ BUY and SELL signals for July 31, 2009

Each week we scan about 7300 stocks and ETFs, checking fundamentals, performing technical analysis and looking for fresh BUY and SELL signals. Out of this process we generate the following lists:

• Alert HQ stock alerts - based on a combination of proprietary and standard technical analysis techniques, we identify stocks or ETFs that are undergoing reversals, either to the upside or to the downside
• Trend Leaders - a collection of stocks in strong up-trends
• Cash Flow Kings whose free cash flow yield is 25% or greater
• Bollinger Band Breakouts - stocks or ETFs that have moved at least 3% above their upper Bollinger Band or at least 3% below their lower Bollinger Band
• Swing Signals - stocks that have bounced off a higher or lower Bollinger Band
  
• Trend Busters - stocks or ETFs that have violated a current trend.

The view from Alert HQ --

Major averages finished the week with fractional except for the Russell 2000 which rose a nice 1.5%. Earnings season continued with many companies beating expectations; however, there weren't that many bellwethers reporting this week so stocks were less volatile. Economic reports were mixed. There was some good news from Case/Shiller on home prices, the Durable Goods report wasn't particularly impressive, consumer confidence lagged expectations and GDP, while better that anyone thought it might be, failed to excite investors once they looked into underlying the details of the report.

Once again, though many of our signals still show a strong tendency towards bullishness, we are seeing a marked moderation in momentum. On the plus side, the Trend Leaders list hit a new high this weekend and on our Bollinger Band Breakouts lists the BUY signals outnumbered the SELL signals. Our Trend Busters list and Swing Signals list however, the SELL signals are outnumbering the BUY signals.

After three weeks of earnings season, investor sentiment is still positive enough to support stock prices at current levels. The results this week show, however, that investors seem to feel there are not sufficient positive catalysts to push prices significantly higher. If you are a bull you can assume that the market just needs to digest its recent gains. If you are a bear, you can look at these weakening technicals and so-so economic reports and assume this rally has about reached its limit.

In any case, we need to follow where the market leads. Keep an eye on Alert HQ - our signals can reveal a lot about where the market is and where it is heading. Right now, Alert HQ suggests caution.

This week's results --

Here is the detailed breakdown for Alert HQ for this weekend:

• Based on daily data, we have 5 Alert HQ BUY signals and 11 SELL signals
  
• Based on weekly data, we have 4 Alert HQ BUY signals and 7 SELL signals
  
• Based on daily data, we have 1048 Trend Leaders. 146 new stocks joined the list since Thursday and 116 fell off the list since Thursday.
  
• Based on daily data, we have 190 Bollinger Band Breakouts but we also have 342 Breakouts based on weekly data.
  
• We have 791 Cash Flow Kings
• Based on daily data we have 30 Swing Signals of which 12 are BUY signals and 18 are SELL signals. No Strong BUY signals or Strong SELL signals today
  
• Finally, we have Trend Busters with 17 signals based on daily data (7 BUY signals and 10 SELL signals) and 31 based on weekly data (22 BUY signals and 7 SELL signals).
  

Using our signals --

Visit Alert HQ and download your free lists of stock alerts. The alerts based on weekly data show those stocks that have exhibited some good follow-through after a recent trend reversal. If you want to be early in identifying the newest trend reversals, the lists based on daily data are for you. No matter which preference you have, there are bound to be a few stocks you will want to add to your watch list.

If you're a momentum trader, the TrendLeaders list is a good place to go shopping. If you have no faith in technical analysis, the Cash Flow Kings may be just what you are looking for. If you do favor technical analysis, check out the Trend Busters. And if you are a short-term trader or even a day trader, our Swing Signals may provide some good trading ideas. See them all at Alert HQ.

Remember, we also provide our latest updated Swing Signals, Trend Leaders and Trend Busters on Tuesday and Thursday nights.