If you regularly follow the SCTR Reports (StockCharts Technical Rank), you’ll notice that some top-ranked stocks aren’t just individual standouts but groupings that call attention to particular sectors, industries, or subgroups within the two.

That’s exactly what happened Tuesday morning. A couple of high-ranking stocks pointed to a growing trend in the thematic subsector of quantum computing.

Quantum Computing Stocks Light Up the SCTR Reports

Occupying the top ranks of the Mid Cap SCTR Top 10 list are quantum computing stocks D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) and Rigetti Computing, Inc. (RGTI).

FIGURE 1. SCTR REPORTS – MID CAP TOP 10. QBTS and RGTI, occupying the top of the list, signal strength in the quantum computing subsector.

The quantum computing subsector made headlines Tuesday morning, with QBTS leading the charge. 

QBTS Leads on Breakout News and Bullish Technical Scans

QBTS shares surged after the company unveiled Advantage2, its most advanced quantum system to date. A quick look at QBTS’s Symbol Summary showed the stock appearing across multiple bullish technical scans on Tuesday, including New 52-week Highs, P&F Double Top Breakout, and Runaway Gap Ups.

Other quantum names, including RGTI, also saw gains, highlighting growing momentum in the space. 

RGTI Gains Momentum with Unique Technical Setups

RGTI’s Symbol Summary profile revealed a different set of predefined scans, suggesting unique technical setups driving its price action. RGTI was triggered in the P&F Ascending Triple Top Breakout, Elder Bar Turned Blue, and P&F Double Top Breakout predefined scans on Tuesday.

With quantum computing stocks like QBTS and RGTI surging and showing unusually strong technical strength, assessing their investment potential requires more than a few headlines. Comparative strength, broader performance of sectors to which they belong, and the underlying factors shaping their price action are some other factors to consider.

FIGURE 2. PERFCHARTS OF QBTS, RGTI, XLK, AND QQQ. At these levels of outperformance, it becomes difficult to separate justified valuations from pure FOMO. As the PerfCharts comparison shows, RTGI and QBTS stocks are outperforming their sector and broader tech-heavy index. 

Technical Breakout: What to Watch with QBTS’ Next Move

From a technical perspective, does either stock present a favorable structure for a market entry? To evaluate this, let’s start with a daily chart of QBTS.

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF QBTS. An impressive parabolic run, support on the downside is relatively clear.

QBTS broke out above its four-month trading range, shooting up to an all-time high of $17.50 on Tuesday’s session, sending the Relative Strength Index (RSI) deep into overbought territory. The Price Channels identify potential areas of support based on previous swing highs and lows.

If QBTS is overbought because its valuations are too high, then a pullback is likely to follow. Whether you should buy the dip depends on your fundamental thesis, but technically, if you decide to enter a position, consider this:

• QBTS is likely to find support at the top of its previous range, highlighted in green.
• If it falls below that, there’s another support range, shaded yellow, that marks another set of minor swing highs in the middle of the previous trading range.
• Below that, however, is support at a low range, shaded red, where the stock has reversed several times over the last few months. 

However, if QBTS drops into the zone between the yellow and red support levels, it could signal a meaningful loss of momentum and growing weakness in the stock’s trend.

That’s why volume becomes especially important here. Note how volume has risen with each successive surge—an encouraging sign of accumulation that somehow dropped at each price peak. If QBTS holds above the top of its previous range, watch for continued volume support; strong follow-through should be backed by equally strong participation.

RGTI Chart Shows Upside Potential—But With Caution

Now let’s look at the second one up on the SCTR Top 10 list. Here’s a daily chart of RGTI.

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF RGTI. The stock is moving steadily upward, but unlike QBTS, there’s no outstanding catalyst to trigger an immediate and outsize move.

Following a fourth bounce at the $7 support range, RGTI broke above resistance, almost hesitantly, at $11. The Volume-by-Price overlay on the left side of the chart shows heavy trading activity in this range, suggesting it could become a strong support level now that resistance has been broken. The ZigZag line further clarifies the support and resistance levels, helping to visualize the stock’s overall trend structure.

The On Balance Volume (OBV) indicator in the bottom panel reflects steady buying pressure. At the same time, the RSI, currently at 61 and rising, suggests the stock still has room to climb before entering overbought territory. 

If RGTI maintains its upward trajectory, the next meaningful resistance level ahead will be at $16, marking its January high. However, whether it gets there may depend less on chart patterns and more on underlying catalysts.

In other words, is RGTI riding the wave of bullish sentiment in quantum computing stocks, or does it have a meaningful fundamental catalyst driving its move higher? On that note, what about QBTS?

Wall Street Weigh In: Real Catalysts or Quantum Hype?

Be careful. Analysts are cautiously optimistic about both stocks, pointing to real catalysts like RGTI’s government partnerships and QBTS’s Advantage2 launch. However, some on Wall Street caution that recent gains may be driven more by hype than fundamentals, with commercial adoption still a long way off.

Action Steps

• Monitor the support levels. For QBTS, watch the green zone (prior range top) for dip-buying potential; deeper moves into yellow or red zones may signal weakening momentum.
• Track volume behavior. Continued surges should be matched with strong volume to confirm trend strength.
• Stay grounded. If you’re trading, closely follow the technicals. If you’re investing, make sure your thesis includes realistic expectations on commercialization timelines.

At the Close

Quantum computing stocks like QBTS and RGTI are showing impressive momentum, backed by technical strength and growing investor interest. But while the setups look promising, remember to stay disciplined. Monitor support levels, watch volume closely, and don’t lose sight of the long runway ahead for true commercial adoption.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

Retail traders and investors often don’t get the credit they deserve. But in April, they showed they’ve got serious market smarts. 

While headlines screamed about a tanking stock market — remember, post-Liberation Day— retail investors waited patiently. And when the time felt right, they jumped in, adding $40 billion to the stock market during the month. Just this past Monday, retail investors poured another $5.4 billion in by day’s end. That was more than a third of the day’s trading volume!

If this keeps up, May could beat April in terms of total inflows. 

Lessons From the Past

Many of you probably remember the dot-com boom and the painful bust that followed. A lot of retail traders jumped in thinking they were buying the dip. Unfortunately, the market had other plans. Many retail traders got wiped out because they ended up buying at the peak rather than the dip. 

This is the risk “buy the dip” buyers face. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. So, how do you protect your portfolio value, especially now that you’re managing some of your investments?

Start With a Simple Daily Routine

Taking control of your finances doesn’t mean you need to stare at a screen all day. But checking in on the market regularly can go a long way. Even a quick peek at the Market Summary page at the end of each day (or once a week) can help you stay on track.

You’ll get a snapshot of how the major indexes are performing, what their daily or weekly streaks are, and if they are above specific moving averages. Here’s a little snippet of the page. There’s a lot more to discover on the page.

An Example: Keeping Tabs on NVIDIA (NVDA)

Let’s say you bought shares of NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) after it dipped in early April. Despite how well the stock performed in 2024, you can’t just “set it and forget it.” 

You will want to monitor how the S&P 500 ($SPX), Nasdaq ($COMPQ), and Nasdaq 100 ($NDX) are performing since NVDA is a heavily weighted stock in these indexes. 

Here’s what you can do:

• Check the trend. Are the indexes trending higher? Are they above key moving averages? 
• Click on the index name. Start with the daily chart and look for any red flags like a break below the 200-day simple moving average (SMA).
• Watch the up or down streaks. If a winning streak turns into a losing one, it’s worth noting. 

Digging Deeper With Internals and Sector Insights

The Market Summary page also gives you access to market internals that can help you determine the health of the indexes. These include the Advancing/Declining Issues, Bullish Percent Index (BPI), and New Highs/New Lows, among many others. 

Since your focus is semiconductor stocks, you would closely watch the related indexes. For BPI, you’d go one step further and monitor the Technology Sector BPI ($BPINFO).

The US Industries panel displays the performance of the Semiconductors. 

What’s Up With Semis? Let’s Look at XSD

At this point, it’s worth analyzing the chart of the SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD), the ETF included in the Market Summary page. The six-month daily chart below shows that XSD is now trading below its 200-day SMA, which is a reason for concern. 

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF XSD. The ETF fell below its 200-day SMA on Wednesday and is underperforming SPY. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Note that XSD is holding on to the support of the May 12 low, which is when the price gapped up. Gaps often get filled, so a fall below where XSD closed on Wednesday could take the ETF down to the $210 level. 

In addition, the ETF’s performance relative to the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) over the last six months is at -3.96%. This indicates that semiconductors are trying hard to re-establish their pre-2025 leadership position. If XSD continues to underperform SPY, it would be more reason to be concerned.

Check In on NVDA Again

Seeing this chart should prompt you to pull up the chart of NVDA. Is the stock following the same pattern as the ETF? 

Looking at the six-month daily chart of NVDA, it’s still above its 200-day SMA, unlike XSD. However, NVDA’s stock price is flirting with the support of its May 14 low. A breach of the low could take NVDA’s stock price to its 200-day SMA or lower. This wouldn’t be good for the overall equity market because NVDA is such a heavyweight in the U.S. large-cap indexes. 

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF NVDA STOCK. Wednesday’s price action suggests the possibility of a pullback. If price falls below the May 14 low, the next stop could be the 200-day SMA. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Before entering your position, you should have identified your profit target and exit point based on your risk tolerance level. Remember, when managing your investments, discipline is key.  

Keep It Simple

The Market Summary page is a tool that can help you stay ahead of the stock market without overwhelming you. 

Here is one way to use the Market Summary page: 

• You don’t need to be glued to the screen. Just make checking in a part of your routine.
• Know what matters. Focus on the key indexes, which direction they are trending, and the sectors you’re invested in. 
• Engage with the market. The more you understand the price action of the market, the more empowered you become.

There are many more ways to use the Market Summary page, and we’ll be sharing more in upcoming articles. 

Bottom Line

Whether you’re hands-on with your investments, semi-retired, or retired, staying informed can help you feel confident and in control. 

So go on, check out the Market Summary page, explore the charts, and stick to your trading plan. 

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.