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To screen for a conventional death cross, look for the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) crossing below the 200-day SMA. Then use a technical alert to monitor that moving-average relationship—or a price alert if you want a notification when the stock reaches a particular price. These alerts track different conditions, and neither one predicts what a stock will do next.
What a death cross measures
A death cross is a shorter-term moving average crossing below a longer-term moving average. The common stock-market example is the 50-day SMA crossing below the 200-day SMA. The periods and average type are conventions, not fixed requirements: substituting exponential moving averages (EMAs) or changing the periods produces a different condition. Nasdaq’s definition of a death cross describes the term, while TradingView explains how moving averages work in its Moving Averages documentation.
Because the averages are calculated from past prices, a crossover is a description of an existing relationship—not a forecast. TradingView says a moving average is “a lagging indicator” that reacts to events that have already happened and is used for interpretation and confirmation rather than prediction. A screen result is therefore a candidate for further analysis, not a standalone sell signal.
How to screen for death-cross stocks
- Define the condition. For the conventional version, specify a 50-day SMA crossing below a 200-day SMA. Keep the average type and periods explicit so you know what the screen is testing.
- Choose the stock universe. Set the market or region and other scope options in your screener before applying technical filters. Available markets and filter choices vary by tool and account.
- Apply a moving-average crossover filter. If the screener offers technical conditions, select the crossover that matches your definition. TradingView’s Stock Screener documentation describes technical filters and signals such as moving averages and crossovers. Its filter guide explains applying filters to symbols; exact labels and options may differ across markets or interface versions.
- Review matches individually. Treat the results as a shortlist for research. Since the averages react to earlier price movement, a crossover may appear after the stock has already moved. The screen alone does not establish whether the shares suit your goals or what happens next.
Not every screener exposes a ready-made 50/200-day crossover filter. If yours does not, do not assume a differently named filter tests the same condition; check its definition or use a charting tool that supports the required averages and crossover.
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Choose the alert that matches what you want to monitor
A technical alert watches an indicator condition, such as one moving average crossing another. A price alert watches a price threshold. A stock’s price crossing a chosen level is not the same event as its 50-day average crossing below its 200-day average.
| What you want to monitor | Alert type | Example | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|---|
| A change in the moving-average relationship | Technical or indicator alert | Short moving average crosses down through the long moving average | It does not predict future performance; the condition depends on the indicator, interval, and the platform’s alert implementation. |
| A stock reaching or passing a chosen price | Price alert | Notify when price crosses down through a specified level | It does not detect a death cross unless the moving-average condition is separately monitored. |
| The same supported condition across selected stocks | Watchlist alert | Apply a technical condition to a watchlist | Coverage depends on which symbols are in the list and whether calculations are functioning for them. |
Set up alerts for a shortlist
Monitor a moving-average crossover
- Add the stocks you want to follow to a watchlist, or open an individual symbol if you only need one alert.
- Create a technical alert using the relevant indicator and crossover direction. Confirm the average type, periods, and interval; a 50/200 SMA crossover on one interval is not interchangeable with another indicator setup.
- For a watchlist alert, check that the intended symbols are included and that the alert is active. TradingView documents technical alerts for indicators in its technical alerts guide and alerts applied across multiple symbols in its watchlist alerts documentation.
Monitor a price level
- Choose the stock and the price threshold you care about.
- Select a price condition and direction that match your purpose—for example, crossing down through a level. TradingView describes crossing, crossing up or down, greater-than, and less-than conditions in its price alerts guide.
- Confirm that the alert is for price, not for a moving-average crossover. The two conditions can be used separately if you want to monitor both.
Set frequency, expiration, and delivery
Before saving, review the trigger frequency and expiration, then check which notification methods are enabled. TradingView’s alert configuration guide describes these settings. Its documentation says open-ended expiration is not available for watchlist alerts, so choose an available expiration and revisit it as needed.
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Check watchlist coverage and alert status
A watchlist alert applies to symbols in the list, so changing membership can change which stocks are covered. Periodically verify the list and the alert’s status rather than assuming a saved alert monitors every stock you intended. TradingView also notes that some symbols can enter a limited-functionality state in which calculations may halt for those symbols, even while a watchlist alert continues for unaffected symbols. See its limited-functionality documentation for details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the alert can—and cannot—establish
- A crossover alert can notify you when the configured moving-average condition is met; it does not establish that the stock is a good or bad investment.
- A price alert can notify you about a threshold event; it does not establish that a death cross occurred.
- A watchlist alert can cover multiple selected symbols, but its scope depends on list membership and calculation availability.
- Alert behavior depends on the selected indicator, interval, settings, and platform. Confirm the configuration and notification delivery rather than assuming coverage is uninterrupted.
TradingView is one documented example, not the only possible screener or alert service. Features, labels, market availability, and account limits can vary and may change; consult the current documentation for the platform you use.
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