Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH) has ended the week in the black, yielding positive results for the shares at they ticked 0.11%. In taking a look at recent performance, we can see that shares have moved 2.16% over the past 4-weeks, 9.27% over the past half year and 14.93% over the past full year.

As most investors know, the stock market can be a highly volatile place. Investors often have to figure out a way that they can personally stay on track so they don’t veer of course. Sticking to a well-researched trading strategy may work for some people. Others may jump into the market head first without too much planning and hope to gain profits by learning as they go. The stock market learning curve may be vastly different for individuals depending on their circumstances and backgrounds. What’s good for one person may not be good for another. When the markets are rising steadily and running along smoothly, investors may feel like they can do no wrong when it comes to picking stocks. People who become overconfident in their abilities may be faced with a harsh reality when the market shifts and momentum builds to the downside. Investors who are prepared for any economic situation might be able to much better ride out the storm when the time comes.  

Investors may be tracking certain levels on shares of Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH). The current 50-day Moving Average is 44.33, the 200-day Moving Average is 42.13, and the 7-day is noted at 44.86. Moving averages can help spot trends and price reversals. They may also be used to help find support or resistance levels. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators meaning that they confirm trends. A certain stock may be considered to be on an uptrend if trading above a moving average and the average is sloping upward. On the other side, a stock may be considered to be in a downtrend if trading below the moving average and sloping downward.

Traders may be relying in part on technical stock analysis. Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 107.37. Despite the name, CCI can be used on other investment tools such as stocks. The CCI was designed to typically stay within the reading of -100 to +100. Traders may use the indicator to determine stock trends or to identify overbought/oversold conditions. A CCI reading above +100 would imply that the stock is overbought and possibly ready for a correction. On the other hand, a reading of -100 would imply that the stock is oversold and possibly set for a rally.

At the time of writing, the 14-day ADX for Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH) is 12.31. Many technical chart analysts believe that an ADX value over 25 would suggest a strong trend. A reading under 20 would indicate no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal. The ADX is typically plotted along with two other directional movement indicator lines, the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI). Some analysts believe that the ADX is one of the best trend strength indicators available.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is one of multiple popular technical indicators created by J. Welles Wilder. Wilder introduced RSI in his book “New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems” which was published in 1978. RSI measures the magnitude and velocity of directional price movements. The data is represented graphically by fluctuating between a value of 0 and 100. The indicator is computed by using the average losses and gains of a stock over a certain time period. RSI can be used to help spot overbought or oversold conditions. An RSI reading over 70 would be considered overbought, and a reading under 30 would indicate oversold conditions. A level of 50 would indicate neutral market momentum. The 14-day RSI is currently sitting at 57.87, the 7-day is at 62.61, and the 3-day is spotted at 73.50 for Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH).

Some investors may succeed spectacularly in the market while others fail. There is an emotional component to trading and investing which can pose a big obstacle to trading success. Investors frequently try to optimize every decision for success, but sometimes things just don’t work out as planned. Consistently beating the market may involve heavy amounts of homework, and a necessary rebalancing of the portfolio. In fast paced markets, indecision can have a drastic impact. Investors may have all the bases covered but fail to make a trade based only on the fear of being wrong. Individual investors may need to conquer self-doubt in order to reach optimal performance when picking stocks. This may not come as easily for some as it does for others. When the market is winning, investors may become too complacent given the ease of gains. Staying on top of the investing scene even when everything is good may help to prepare if conditions change and the climate starts to worsen.