Screen European, US and Canadian stocks trading above their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, and learn what this trend filter can and cannot tell you.
The simplest trend filter is price above both the 50-day and the 200-day moving average. It removes stocks in a downtrend from any screen, and it takes two clicks in the screener. It does not pick winners. It stops you from buying cheap-looking stocks that the market is still selling.
Last updated: October 2026.
What the two averages tell you
- 50-day average: the medium-term trend, roughly the last two and a half months.
- 200-day average: the long-term trend, roughly the last ten months.
Price above both means the stock is in an uptrend on both horizons. Price above the 200-day but below the 50-day usually means a pullback inside an uptrend. Price below both means a downtrend.
The screen, step by step
- Choose your exchanges or markets.
- Turn on Above SMA 50 and Above SMA 200.
- Set a minimum market cap to avoid illiquid stocks.
- Add a fundamental or valuation filter, such as ROE above 12% or P/E below 20.
- Sort by 52-week performance or by market cap.
Open this screen directly and adjust it. The averages are computed from end-of-day prices.
A note on the golden cross
A golden cross happens when the 50-day average crosses above the 200-day average. The screener does not detect the crossing event itself. Price above both averages is a close, practical proxy: stocks that have just crossed are almost always in this list. The reverse (death cross) is approximated by price below both.
Three ways to use the filter
| Use |
Filters to combine |
Goal |
| Quality in an uptrend |
Above SMA 200, ROE above 15%, debt to equity below 1 |
Good businesses the market already rewards |
| Value with confirmation |
Above SMA 200, P/E below 15, positive free cash flow |
Cheap stocks that have stopped falling |
| Pullback buying |
Above SMA 200, RSI below 40 |
Dips inside a longer trend |
For the last one, see the RSI oversold screener.
What this filter cannot do
- It lags. Averages confirm a trend after it has started.
- It produces whipsaws in sideways markets, where price crosses the averages repeatedly.
- It says nothing about valuation or business quality. Pair it with fundamentals.
Frequently asked questions
Is price above the 200-day average bullish?
It is the most common long-term trend test. Many investors only buy stocks above it, and many funds use it as a risk filter.
Can the screener find golden crosses?
Not the crossing event. Use price above SMA 50 and SMA 200 as a proxy.
Does it work for European small caps?
Yes, but small caps are noisier. Use a minimum market cap and volume so the averages mean something.
How often is the data updated?
The indicators are calculated from end-of-day prices, so they reflect the latest close, not live trading.
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