Weekends are a swing trader's secret weapon. While the market is closed and there is no pressure to act, you can do the deep analysis that leads to better trades. Traders who prepare on weekends start Monday with a clear plan while others are still figuring out what to do. This guide shows you how to make the most of your weekend analysis time.
Why Weekend Analysis Matters
During the week, you are reacting. On weekends, you can be proactive. The absence of price movement lets you think clearly without the pressure of making immediate decisions.
The advantage: Weekend analysis puts you ahead of traders who only look at charts when the market is open. You enter Monday knowing exactly what you are looking for and where your setups are.
The Complete Weekend Analysis Routine
Set aside 60-90 minutes on Saturday or Sunday for this comprehensive review. Block this time like an important appointment.
Part 1: Market Review (15 minutes)
Start by understanding what happened in the broader market last week.
Weekly Charts to Review
- S&P 500 (SPY): Overall market direction
- Nasdaq 100 (QQQ): Tech sector health
- Russell 2000 (IWM): Small cap sentiment
- VIX: Market volatility and fear
For each index, answer these questions:
- What was the weekly trend?
- Did the index close strong or weak?
- Are there any significant support or resistance levels nearby?
- What does the weekly candle tell us about sentiment?
Market Review Example
SPY Weekly: Closed at new 52-week high. Weekly candle was a strong bullish bar with above-average volume. Next resistance at $480 psychological level. Trend: Strong uptrend, bias bullish for swing longs.
VIX: Dropped to 13, showing complacency. Watch for potential spike if market pulls back. Low VIX supports trend-following trades.
Part 2: Sector Analysis (15 minutes)
Find where the money is flowing. Some sectors lead, others lag. You want to trade with the strong sectors.
Sectors to Review
- Technology (XLK)
- Healthcare (XLV)
- Financials (XLF)
- Consumer Discretionary (XLY)
- Energy (XLE)
- Industrials (XLI)
Rank sectors from strongest to weakest based on their weekly performance. Look for:
- Sectors making new highs
- Sectors breaking out of bases
- Relative strength compared to SPY
- Volume patterns suggesting accumulation
Strategy: Focus your long watchlist on stocks from the top 2-3 strongest sectors. Avoid longs in the weakest sectors even if individual charts look good.
Part 3: Position Review (10 minutes)
Analyze your current holdings without the pressure of making immediate decisions.
For Each Open Position
- How did the weekly candle close?
- Is the original thesis still valid?
- Should you adjust your stop loss?
- Is it time to take partial profits?
- Are there any red flags developing?
Position Review Example
NVDA Long Position:
Entry: $450, Current: $485, Stop: $440, Target: $520
Weekly candle: Strong bullish bar, broke above recent consolidation
Thesis: Still valid, AI demand thesis intact
Action: Raise stop to $465 (breakeven + cushion), hold for target
Part 4: Weekly Chart Scanning (20 minutes)
Review weekly charts of your watchlist stocks and scan for new opportunities.
What to Look For
- Weekly breakouts from multi-week bases
- Pullbacks to the 10-week moving average
- Weekly reversal candles at support
- Tightening weekly ranges (volatility contraction)
- Relative strength leaders in strong sectors
For each promising chart:
- Identify the setup type
- Note the entry trigger level
- Mark support for stop loss placement
- Estimate target based on pattern
Part 5: Build the Week's Watchlist (15 minutes)
Compile your findings into an actionable watchlist for the week.
Prioritize Your Setups
- A-List (Top 3-5 stocks): Best setups that could trigger this week
- B-List (5-10 stocks): Good setups that need more development
- Watch (10-20 stocks): Interesting charts to monitor
Weekly Watchlist Example
A-List (Ready to Trade):
- AAPL - Flag breakout above $188, stop $182, target $200
- COST - 10-week MA bounce, entry $580, stop $565
- META - Weekly cup and handle, trigger $510
B-List (Developing):
- GOOGL - Building base, needs one more week
- AMD - Pulling back to support, watch for reversal
Part 6: Performance Review (10 minutes)
Use weekends to track your trading results and identify patterns.
Weekly Metrics to Calculate
- Number of trades taken
- Win rate for the week
- Total profit/loss in dollars and R-multiple
- Largest winner and loser
- Rule compliance score
Questions to Answer
- Did I follow my trading plan?
- What worked well this week?
- What mistakes did I make?
- What will I do differently next week?
Weekend Analysis Checklist
Print this checklist and use it every weekend.
Complete Weekend Checklist
- Review SPY, QQQ, IWM weekly charts
- Note market trend and key levels
- Rank sectors by weekly performance
- Identify leading and lagging sectors
- Review all open positions on weekly charts
- Decide hold/sell/adjust for each position
- Scan watchlist stocks on weekly timeframe
- Run weekly chart screeners
- Build prioritized watchlist for the week
- Define entry triggers for A-list stocks
- Calculate weekly performance metrics
- Write journal entry with lessons learned
- Set price alerts for Monday
Calendar Awareness
Part of weekend preparation is knowing what events are coming up that could impact your trades.
What to Check
- Earnings: Any of your watchlist or positions reporting?
- Economic data: Fed meetings, jobs report, CPI?
- Expiration: Options expiration week affects volatility
- Holidays: Shortened weeks often have different patterns
Rule: Know the calendar before entering any trade. Earnings and Fed meetings can destroy even the best technical setups.
Tools for Weekend Analysis
These tools make weekend analysis more efficient:
- Charting platform: TradingView, TC2000, or similar for weekly charts
- Screener: Finviz, TradingView, or broker platform
- Sector analysis: Finviz sector map, StockCharts sector summary
- Calendar: Earnings Whispers for earnings, ForexFactory for economic events
- Trading journal: Spreadsheet or dedicated journal software
Track Your Weekend Preparation
Pro Trader Dashboard shows your positions, performance metrics, and trade history in one place. Spend your weekend time analyzing instead of gathering data.
Summary
Weekend analysis is when swing traders do their most important work. Use this time to review market conditions, analyze sectors, evaluate positions, and build your watchlist for the week ahead. The 60-90 minutes you invest on weekends will pay off in better trades and more confidence during the week. Traders who prepare on weekends consistently outperform those who wing it.
Want to maximize your limited trading time? Learn about part-time swing trading strategies, or review the ideal daily trading routine.