Indian-trading-skills india-market-breadth
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skills/india-market-breadth/SKILL.mdIndia Market Breadth Analyzer
Purpose
Market breadth measures how broadly a rally or decline is distributed across the market. A healthy market has broad participation — many stocks and sectors moving in the same direction. A narrow market, where only a few large-cap stocks are driving the index, is fragile and prone to reversal.
This skill provides a systematic framework to assess NSE/BSE breadth health, score it on a 0-100 composite scale, and translate it into actionable equity exposure recommendations.
Data Sources
Primary Sources
| Data Point | Source | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Advance/Decline counts | NSE website / Web search | for "NSE advance decline data today" |
| Stocks above 200 DMA | Market screeners / Web search | for "stocks above 200 DMA NSE" |
| Stocks above 50 DMA | Market screeners / Web search | for "stocks above 50 DMA NSE" |
| New 52-week highs | Groww MCP | with filter |
| New 52-week lows | Groww MCP | with filter |
| Sector performance | Groww MCP | for sector indices (Nifty IT, Bank Nifty, Nifty Pharma, etc.) |
| Nifty 50 level | Groww MCP | for NIFTY |
| Top gainers/losers | Groww MCP | with / |
Broker MCP Tools Used
Use whichever broker MCP is connected (Groww or Zerodha Kite):
Groww MCP (if connected):
— Core tool for yearly highs/lows counts, top gainers/losers, volume datafetch_market_movers_and_trending_stocks_funds
— Get live prices for Nifty, Bank Nifty, sector indicesget_ltp
— Historical data for trend analysisfetch_historical_candle_data
— Calculate moving averages for breadth assessmentget_historical_technical_indicators
— Screen for stocks by technical criteria (RSI, MACD, etc.)fetch_technical_screener
— Natural language screening for market-cap based analysisfetch_fundamentals_screener
Zerodha Kite MCP (if connected):
— Live prices for Nifty, Bank Nifty, sector indicesget_ltp
— Real-time quotes with market depthget_quotes
— OHLC data for indices and stocksget_ohlc
— Historical candle data for trend analysisget_historical_data
— Search for instruments by namesearch_instruments
Workflow
Step 1: Fetch NSE Advance/Decline Data
Use web search to get NSE advance/decline data:
WebSearch: "NSE advance decline ratio today" WebSearch: "NSE market breadth today advances declines"
Key data points needed:
- Number of advances (stocks that closed higher)
- Number of declines (stocks that closed lower)
- Number of unchanged
- Total traded stocks
Step 2: Calculate Breadth Indicators
A/D Ratio
A/D Ratio = Number of Advances / Number of Declines Interpretation: > 2.0: Strong breadth (broad rally) 1.5-2.0: Healthy breadth 1.0-1.5: Neutral 0.7-1.0: Weak breadth < 0.7: Very weak (broad selling)
A/D Line (Cumulative)
A/D Line = Previous A/D Line + (Advances - Declines) Rising A/D Line + Rising Nifty = Confirmed uptrend Falling A/D Line + Rising Nifty = DIVERGENCE (warning) Rising A/D Line + Falling Nifty = Accumulation (bullish) Falling A/D Line + Falling Nifty = Confirmed downtrend
McClellan Oscillator Concept
A/D Difference = Advances - Declines 19-day EMA of A/D Difference (fast) 39-day EMA of A/D Difference (slow) McClellan Oscillator = 19-day EMA - 39-day EMA > 0: Bullish breadth momentum < 0: Bearish breadth momentum > +50: Overbought breadth < -50: Oversold breadth
Step 3: Assess % of Stocks Above 200 DMA and 50 DMA
Use web search or screener tools:
WebSearch: "percentage of NSE stocks above 200 day moving average"
Or use Groww MCP technical screener to estimate:
fetch_technical_screener with various SMA/EMA filters
Key Thresholds
| Metric | Bullish | Neutral | Bearish |
|---|---|---|---|
| % above 200 DMA | > 60% | 40-60% | < 40% |
| % above 50 DMA | > 55% | 35-55% | < 35% |
| % above 20 DMA | > 50% | 30-50% | < 30% |
Step 4: Count New 52-Week Highs vs Lows (via Groww MCP)
Use Groww MCP tools:
# Fetch stocks hitting yearly highs fetch_market_movers_and_trending_stocks_funds( discovery_filter_types=["YEARLY_HIGH"], size=20 ) # Fetch stocks hitting yearly lows fetch_market_movers_and_trending_stocks_funds( discovery_filter_types=["YEARLY_LOW"], size=20 )
Interpretation
| Highs:Lows Ratio | Signal |
|---|---|
| > 5:1 | Strong bullish breadth |
| 2:1 to 5:1 | Healthy bullish breadth |
| 1:1 to 2:1 | Neutral / transitioning |
| 0.5:1 to 1:1 | Bearish breadth |
| < 0.5:1 | Strong bearish breadth |
Step 5: Score Breadth Health (0-100 Composite)
The composite score is calculated from 5 components:
| # | Component | Weight | Max Points | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Advance/Decline Ratio | 25% | 25 | NSE A/D data |
| 2 | Stocks Above 200 DMA | 25% | 25 | Screener data |
| 3 | New Highs vs Lows | 20% | 20 | Groww MCP YEARLY_HIGH/LOW |
| 4 | Sector Participation | 15% | 15 | Sector index performance |
| 5 | Nifty Divergence | 15% | 15 | Nifty vs breadth comparison |
Component 1: Advance/Decline Ratio Score (0-25)
| A/D Ratio | Score |
|---|---|
| > 3.0 | 25 |
| 2.5 - 3.0 | 22-25 |
| 2.0 - 2.5 | 19-22 |
| 1.5 - 2.0 | 15-19 |
| 1.2 - 1.5 | 12-15 |
| 1.0 - 1.2 | 8-12 |
| 0.7 - 1.0 | 4-8 |
| 0.5 - 0.7 | 2-4 |
| < 0.5 | 0-2 |
Also consider the 5-day and 20-day trend of A/D ratio:
- Improving trend: +2 bonus points
- Deteriorating trend: -2 penalty points
Component 2: Stocks Above 200 DMA Score (0-25)
| % Above 200 DMA | Score |
|---|---|
| > 75% | 25 |
| 65-75% | 21-25 |
| 55-65% | 17-21 |
| 45-55% | 13-17 |
| 35-45% | 9-13 |
| 25-35% | 5-9 |
| < 25% | 0-5 |
Component 3: New Highs vs Lows Score (0-20)
| Highs:Lows Ratio | Score |
|---|---|
| > 5:1 | 20 |
| 3:1 - 5:1 | 16-20 |
| 2:1 - 3:1 | 12-16 |
| 1:1 - 2:1 | 8-12 |
| 0.5:1 - 1:1 | 4-8 |
| < 0.5:1 | 0-4 |
Component 4: Sector Participation Score (0-15)
Count how many of the 13 major Nifty sectors are in an uptrend (above their 50 DMA or showing positive 1-month return):
13 Key NSE Sectors:
- Nifty Bank
- Nifty IT
- Nifty Pharma
- Nifty FMCG
- Nifty Auto
- Nifty Metal
- Nifty Realty
- Nifty Energy
- Nifty Infrastructure
- Nifty PSU Bank
- Nifty Private Bank
- Nifty Media
- Nifty Financial Services
| Sectors in Uptrend | Score |
|---|---|
| 11-13 | 15 |
| 9-10 | 12-14 |
| 7-8 | 9-11 |
| 5-6 | 6-8 |
| 3-4 | 3-5 |
| 0-2 | 0-2 |
Component 5: Nifty Divergence Score (0-15)
This measures whether index performance aligns with underlying breadth.
| Scenario | Score |
|---|---|
| Nifty rising + breadth improving | 15 (confirmed uptrend) |
| Nifty flat + breadth improving | 13 (stealth accumulation) |
| Nifty rising + breadth flat | 10 (narrow rally, watch closely) |
| Nifty flat + breadth flat | 8 (neutral, no signal) |
| Nifty flat + breadth declining | 5 (stealth distribution) |
| Nifty rising + breadth declining | 3 (BEARISH DIVERGENCE — high risk) |
| Nifty falling + breadth declining | 2 (confirmed downtrend) |
| Nifty falling + breadth improving | 7 (possible bottom formation) |
Step 6: Map to Equity Exposure Recommendation
Health Zones
| Score Range | Zone | Equity Exposure | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80-100 | Strong | 90-100% | Full equity allocation. Market has broad participation. Deploy fresh capital. |
| 60-79 | Healthy | 75-90% | Normal allocation. Monitor for deterioration. Favor broad-based positions. |
| 40-59 | Neutral | 60-75% | Cautious allocation. Focus on strong sectors only. Reduce mid/small-cap exposure. |
| 20-39 | Weakening | 40-60% | Defensive allocation. Shift to large-caps and quality. Raise cash on rallies. |
| 0-19 | Critical | 25-40% | Maximum defense. High cash/debt allocation. Only hold strongest positions. Potential capitulation zone. |
Exposure Adjustment Rules
- Score improving for 5+ days: Can increase exposure by one zone level
- Score deteriorating for 5+ days: Decrease exposure by one zone level
- Score drops >15 points in a week: Emergency review — consider reducing exposure immediately
- Score rises >15 points in a week: Wait for confirmation (3+ days) before increasing
Step 7: Generate Report
Use the template from
assets/breadth_report_template.md to produce a structured report. Include:
- Composite score and health zone
- All 5 component scores with supporting data
- Trend direction (improving/deteriorating)
- Equity exposure recommendation
- Divergence analysis
- Historical context
- Disclaimer
Quick Reference: NSE Sector Indices
Use these symbols with
get_ltp for sector breadth assessment:
| Sector | Symbol | Approx Constituents |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Nifty | NIFTY BANK | 12 banks |
| Nifty IT | NIFTY IT | 10 IT companies |
| Nifty Pharma | NIFTY PHARMA | 20 pharma companies |
| Nifty FMCG | NIFTY FMCG | 15 FMCG companies |
| Nifty Auto | NIFTY AUTO | 15 auto companies |
| Nifty Metal | NIFTY METAL | 15 metal companies |
| Nifty Realty | NIFTY REALTY | 10 realty companies |
| Nifty Energy | NIFTY ENERGY | 10 energy companies |
| Nifty Infra | NIFTY INFRA | 30 infra companies |
| Nifty PSU Bank | NIFTY PSU BANK | 12 PSU banks |
| Nifty Pvt Bank | NIFTY PVT BANK | 10 private banks |
| Nifty Media | NIFTY MEDIA | 14 media companies |
| Nifty Fin Service | NIFTY FIN SERVICE | 20 financial companies |
Example Breadth Assessment
Date: 2025-03-10 COMPONENT SCORES: 1. A/D Ratio: 1.8 (5-day avg: 1.5) -> Score: 17/25 2. Stocks above 200 DMA: ~55% -> Score: 17/25 3. New Highs:Lows: 85:25 (3.4:1) -> Score: 16/20 4. Sectors in uptrend: 9/13 -> Score: 12/15 5. Nifty rising + breadth flat -> Score: 10/15 COMPOSITE SCORE: 72/100 HEALTH ZONE: Healthy EQUITY EXPOSURE: 75-90% RECOMMENDATION: Market breadth is healthy with broad participation. 9 of 13 sectors are in uptrend. A/D ratio has been above 1.0 for the past week. However, Nifty is making new highs while breadth is flat — watch for divergence. Maintain normal equity allocation but be ready to reduce if breadth starts deteriorating.
Divergence Detection — The Most Important Signal
What is Breadth Divergence?
When the Nifty 50 makes a new high but breadth indicators do not confirm, it signals that the rally is narrowing. This is the single most important breadth signal for risk management.
How to Detect
- Nifty at 52-week high BUT advance/decline ratio < 1.5
- Nifty at 52-week high BUT fewer new 52-week highs than at the previous Nifty high
- Nifty at 52-week high BUT % above 200 DMA is declining
- Nifty at 52-week high BUT fewer sectors participating than at previous high
Historical Examples (Indian Market)
| Date | Nifty Level | Breadth Signal | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2021 | All-time high (18,600) | Midcap/smallcap already correcting | Nifty corrected 15% by Jun 2022 |
| Jan 2018 | All-time high (11,170) | Only large-caps rallying, midcaps weak | Midcap/smallcap correction of 30-40% through 2018 |
| Jan 2008 | All-time high (21,200, Sensex) | Breadth divergence from Sep 2007 | Market crashed 60% by Oct 2008 |
Action on Divergence
| Divergence Duration | Action |
|---|---|
| 1-3 days | Monitor — could be noise |
| 1-2 weeks | Start tightening stops, reduce weakest positions |
| 3-4 weeks | Reduce overall exposure by one zone level |
| 1+ month | Significant risk — move to defensive posture |
India-Specific Nuances
- F&O Expiry Effects: Weekly and monthly F&O expiry Thursdays can distort breadth readings due to derivatives-related hedging and unwinding. Flag expiry-day breadth readings and consider using the non-expiry-day average for comparison.
- Budget and RBI Policy Weeks: Union Budget day and RBI monetary policy announcement days create abnormal breadth swings. Note these as event-driven rather than trend-driven.
- FII/DII Flow Correlation: Sustained FII selling often narrows breadth from the large-cap end first, while DII buying may support mid/small caps, creating a cap-tier divergence.
- SEBI Regulatory Impact: Regulations like small-cap mutual fund stress tests can cause episodic breadth disruptions in the small-cap tier — these are flow-driven, not fundamental.
- IPO Market as Breadth Proxy: A hot IPO market (high subscription rates, listing gains) often correlates with broad market risk appetite. A freeze in IPO activity can signal breadth contraction ahead.
Files in This Skill
— Comprehensive breadth analysis methodology for Indian marketsreferences/breadth_methodology.md
— Structured report template for breadth analysis outputassets/breadth_report_template.md