Why Today’s Zweig Breadth Thrust Isn’t What It Used to Be

Published: April 2025

The Zweig Breadth Thrust has long been hailed as one of the rarest and most powerful bullish signals in market history.When it fires, traders instinctively start looking for a major bull market rally.

This month, the indicator triggered again — and headlines everywhere screamed "New Bull Market Incoming!"But if you dig deeper, today's market structure tells a different story.

Here’s why today’s Zweig Thrust might not mean what it used to — and how savvy investors should adapt.

📉 1. ETF Flows Have Changed Market Breadth Forever

When Marty Zweig created the Breadth Thrust indicator decades ago, the market was dominated by active managers picking individual stocks.A breadth surge genuinely reflected discretionary buying across a broad range of companies.

Today, however, passive ETFs dominate.When traders pile into SPY, QQQ, or sector ETFs, algorithmic systems mechanically buy all the underlying stocks — regardless of fundamentals.

Result?Breadth looks strong — but it’s often just automated ETF-driven buying, not true stock-by-stock conviction.

📊 2. A Thrust Without Selectivity Is a Thrust Without Teeth

Historically, a Zweig Thrust meant money was selectively chasing quality across the board.Today's thrusts often inflate weak sectors along with strong ones — because ETF buying has no discrimination.

Without leadership clarity, a breadth thrust can become a liquidity event, not a structural turning point.Liquidity is bullish, yes — but it needs sector confirmation to be sustainably profitable.

🔥 3. The Smart Move: Filter First, Then Follow

Rather than blindly chasing indices after a Zweig trigger, the smarter strategy today is:

• Wait for sector confirmation: Which industries are genuinely attracting fresh buying pressure?

• Use custom breadth analysis: Measure thrusts within sectors, not just across the broad market.

• Focus on quality leadership: Only the strongest companies in the strongest groups deserve capital.

Adaptation, not nostalgia, is the new edge.

📈 4. Zweig Thrust Is Not Dead — But Interpretation Must Evolve

The Zweig Breadth Thrust still provides valuable information:➔ It signals liquidity returning to the system.

However, interpreting it as a guaranteed bull market without further filtering is risky in today's ETF-driven ecosystem.

Smart operators will treat it as a "starter gun" — a signal to begin hunting true sector winners, not a blind invitation to buy everything.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Markets evolve.Indicators that worked perfectly in the 1980s must be recalibrated for today’s passive-investing landscape.

If you're serious about riding the next wave, the question isn’t "Did the Zweig Thrust trigger?"It’s "Which sectors are truly leading the next phase?"

Adapt early. Profit greatly.

✍️ About the Author

This post was written by an independent market strategist passionate about liquidity flows, sector dynamics, and building smarter trading frameworks for the modern era.

DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution. All content on Not Another Investment Channel website is merely the author's opinion and does not constitute as financial or investment advice. Those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Not Another Investment Channel and its author are not responsible for any investment actions taken by readers.