Index relative strength indicators measure current trading conditions and cycles. A spread between Nasdaq and the SP-500 contrasts the activity of growth stocks against the safety of blue chips. Market bottoms tend to print when Nasdaq takes over leadership from the other indices. A 14-week RSI reveals long-term Nasdaq buying and selling pressures. Smooth the average by 5 to 7 periods and few whipsaws will occur once the plot starts to roll over. Swing traders improve performance when they align long and short tactics to broad market sentiment.