Is the market supporting longs right now?
Breadth can't tell you when institutions are quietly selling — the IBD distribution-day model can. As of Jul 17, 2026.
Heavy institutional distribution or a clear downtrend. Most breakouts fail here — protect capital and wait for a follow-through day to confirm the next rally.
How to read it. A distribution day is a session where a major index (SPY or QQQ) closes down ≥0.2% on heavier volume than the day before — a fingerprint of institutional selling. Four or more in a ~25-session window puts an uptrend “under pressure”; six or more signals a correction. A follow-through day — a strong up day on rising volume a few sessions off a low — is the classic signal a correction's bounce has legs.
Trade with the market, not against it.
Pair this read with the daily setup board — the strongest breakouts work best in a confirmed uptrend.
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