The Stock Pulse - Jan. 8, 2026

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The Stock Pulse - 08 Jan 2026 - Three bulls APTV, HLT, and MCO; One vulnerable GPN.pdf Download PDF • 1.83MB

Three bulls: APTV, HLT, and MCO; One vulnerable: GPN

Three bullish stocks: APTV, HLT, and MCO; One vulnerable stock: GPN

Aptiv (APTV), Hilton (HLT), and Moody’s (MCO) show bullish technical patterns, while Global Payments (GPN) remains vulnerable.

• APTV is building a late-2023 to early-2026 bottoming pattern, with a breakout above 88.80–91.66 needed to confirm upside toward 98.23, 114.00, and 129.76.

• HLT has broken out from a bullish 2025 consolidation, with support at 280–275 keeping upside targets at 305 and then 337–355 intact.

• MCO is attempting a breakout from a 2025–early 2026 base, with strength above 523–532 favoring upside to 584 and potentially 666.

• In contrast, GPN remains bearish following a multi-year head-and-shoulders pattern breakdown, and while below 80–85, the stock shows risk to 65.93 initially and then potentially down to 52–46.

Aptiv (APTV): Builds a late 2023 into early 2026 bottoming pattern

APTV, an automobile components stock, is building a late 2023 into early 2026 bottoming pattern. Rising 26- and 40-week moving averages (WMAs) from 78.56 down to 73.29, combined with key chart support and the 38.2% and 50% retracements from 73.00 to 68.00, reinforce this constructive technical backdrop. While above these levels, the setup favors a breakout above the declining 200-WMA at 84.38 and the basing pattern neckline at 88.80–91.66. A decisive move through this zone would confirm the base and target 98.23 (38.2% retracement of the late 2021-early 2025 decline), 114.00 (50% retracement), and 129.76 (pattern count and 61.8% retracement).

Hilton (HLT): Bullish consolidation pattern targets 305 and then 337-355

HLT, a hotels, restaurants, and leisure stock, has broken higher from a February-November 2025 bullish consolidation pattern. Holding 280-275 keeps this bullish breakout intact with upside potential to 305 (61.8% extension and tactical pattern count) initially and then toward 337 (100% extension) and 355 (pattern count) on a longer-term basis. Rising 13-, 26-, and 40-week moving averages from 278 down to 263 underpin this bullish setup on HLT ahead of risk management support near 253.

Moody’s (MCO): Bullish consolidation pattern targets 584 and 666

MCO, capital markets stock, is attempting to break out from a February 2025 into January 2026 bullish consolidation pattern. A sustained rally above the 523-532 zone would confirm this pattern and suggest further upside to 584 (tactical base and the late 2021-mid 2024 big base breakout counts) and potentially 666 (early 2025-early 2026 base breakout count). Chart support and the rising 13-, 26-, and 40-week moving averages at 499-487 reinforce this bullish setup ahead of risk management support at 466.

Global Payments (GPN): Bearish chart patterns signal deeper weakness

GPN, a financial services stock, faces further downside risk given a breakdown from a November 2022–April 2025 bearish head-and-shoulders (H&S) pattern and the threat of another break lower from a smaller April 2025–early 2026 bearish H&S pattern. The near-term setup is negative below resistance at 80–85 (weakening 26/40-week moving averages and shoulder highs), with downside risk below the neckline and late-November lows at 72.50–70.91 toward the April 2025 low at 65.93 initially, and potentially to bearish pattern targets in the 52–46 range.

Monitor our “Straight from the Chart” blog for more stock and ETF charts

What is The Stock Pulse?

The Stock Pulse provides bullish and bearish stock and ETF ideas

The Stock Pulse highlights bullish and bearish technical setups across common stocks, ADRs, and ETFs. The report emphasizes weekly charts to reduce short-term noise and targets a three-to-six-month investment horizon. We analyze price action and trends from both an absolute and relative perspective. Our relative benchmark is typically the S&P 500. We focus on the technicals, we but encourage investors to evaluate the fundamentals before acting on the ideas presented in The Stock Pulse.

We can categorize these charts as follows:

• Bullish leadership: Bullish absolute and bullish relative trends. This technical setup represents a confirmed bullish trend. It also can indicate a bullish momentum stock.

  • Actions to consider: Buy dips, hold longs, and avoid shorts. 

• Bearish laggard: Bearish absolute and bearish relative trends. This technical setup represents a confirmed bearish trend. It also can indicate a bearish momentum stock.

  • Actions to consider: Sell rallies, hold shorts, and avoid longs.

• Bullish weakening: A bullish absolute trend and a deteriorating to bearish relative trend. The stock has rallied but lags its benchmark. This lack of bullish relative confirmation provides a negative divergence, which is a potential bearish leading indicator for the absolute price chart.

  • Actions to consider: Protect or reduce absolute longs, consider relative shorts, and if aggressive, initialize an absolute short.

• Bearish strengthening: A bearish absolute trend and an improving to bullish relative trend. The stock has declined, but it has dropped less than its benchmark. This lack of bearish relative confirmation provides a positive divergence, which is a potential bullish leading indicator for the absolute price chart.

  • Actions to consider: Protect or reduce absolute shorts, consider relative longs, and if aggressive, initialize an absolute long.

Key indicators

We rely weekly charts – both absolute and relative – with simple weekly moving averages (WMA) and Trend Scores to assess the technical condition of the stocks, ADRs, and ETFS highlighted in this note. In addition, we may also highlight other important indicators and well as provide technical screens.

Weekly moving averages show multiple timeframes on one chart

• The slope of the moving average is more important than whether the price is above or below it

• 13-WMA: Quarterly and tactical trend

• 26-WMA: Half-year and intermediate trend

• 40-WMA: Longer-term trend and similar to the 200-day moving average

• 200-WMA: Long-term or macro trend

Trend Scores

• Trend Score: Ranges from -10 to +10 and incorporates the 13-, 26-, and 40-WMAs. Higher scores indicate stronger trends with prices above rising WMAs. Lower scores indicate weaker trends with price below declining WMAs. Longer WMAs are more heavily weighted.

• Long-term Trend Score: Ranges from -20 to +20 and includes the 13-, 26-, 40-, and 200-WMAs. Higher scores reflect stronger long-term uptrends, while lower scores indicate long-term downtrends. Longer WMAs carry more weight.

Three bullish charts: APTV, HLT, and MCO

Aptiv (APTV): Builds a late 2023 into early 2026 bottoming pattern

APTV, an automobile components stock, is building a late 2023 into early 2026 bottoming pattern. Rising 26- and 40-week moving averages (WMAs) from 78.56 down to 73.29, combined with key chart support and the 38.2% and 50% retracements from 73.00 to 68.00, reinforce this constructive technical backdrop. While above these levels, the setup favors a breakout above the declining 200-WMA at 84.38 and the basing pattern neckline at 88.80–91.66. A decisive move through this zone would confirm the base and target 98.23 (38.2% retracement of the late 2021-early 2025 decline), 114.00 (50% retracement), and 129.76 (pattern count and 61.8% retracement).

Chart notes:

• APTV is forming a bottom relative to the S&P 500 (SPX) dating back to mid 2024 that has the potential to confirm the developing bottoming pattern on APTV’s absolute price chart that we highlighted above. Continued closes above the 13-, 26-, and 40-WMAs vs. the SPX would bode well for this bullish setup.

• We previously highlighted a bullish setup for APTV in our August 26, 2025 The Stock Pulse report.

Chart 1: Aptiv PLC. (APTV) (top) and relative to the S&P 500 (bottom)

Source: Optuma, Suttmeier Technical Strategies

Hilton (HLT): Bullish consolidation pattern targets 305 and then 337-355

HLT, a hotels, restaurants, and leisure stock, has broken higher from a February-November 2025 bullish consolidation pattern. Holding 280-275 keeps this bullish breakout intact with upside potential to 305 (61.8% extension and tactical pattern count) initially and then toward 337 (100% extension) and 355 (pattern count) on a longer-term basis. Rising 13-, 26-, and 40-week moving averages from 278 down to 263 underpin this bullish setup on HLT ahead of risk management support near 253.

Chart notes:

• HLT has a constructive longer-term breakout and retest pattern relative to the SPX.

• The 61.8% and 100% extension targets highlighted above are generated by projecting the April-September rally from the early November low.

Chart 2: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) (top) and relative to the S&P 500 (bottom)

Source: Optuma, Suttmeier Technical Strategies

Moody’s (MCO): Bullish consolidation pattern targets 584 and 666

MCO, capital markets stock, is attempting to break out from a February 2025 into January 2026 bullish consolidation pattern. A sustained rally above the 523-532 zone would confirm this pattern and suggest further upside to 584 (tactical base and the late 2021-mid 2024 big base breakout counts) and potentially 666 (early 2025-early 2026 base breakout count). Chart support and the rising 13-, 26-, and 40-week moving averages at 499-487 reinforce this bullish setup ahead of risk management support at 466.

Chart notes:

• MCO has a sideways pattern relative to the SPX, but has shown tactical leadership from a late October relative price low.

• Similar to HLT, MCO has 61.8% and 100% extension targets at 555 and 610, respectively, derived by projecting the April-August rally from the early November low.

Chart 3: Moody’s Corp. (MCO) (top) and relative to the S&P 500 (bottom)

Source: Optuma, Suttmeier Technical Strategies

One vulnerable stock chart: GPN

Global Payments (GPN): Bearish chart patterns signal deeper weakness

GPN, a financial services stock, faces further downside risk given a breakdown from a November 2022–April 2025 bearish head-and-shoulders (H&S) pattern and the threat of another break lower from a smaller April 2025–early 2026 bearish H&S pattern. The near-term setup is negative below resistance at 80–85 (weakening 26/40-week moving averages and shoulder highs), with downside risk below the neckline and late-November lows at 72.50–70.91 toward the April 2025 low at 65.93 initially, and potentially to bearish pattern targets in the 52–46 range.

Chart notes:

• GPN remains within a longer-term bearish trend relative to the SPX.

• The 92 level, which is the breakdown point from the larger 2022-2025 bearish H&S pattern, offers a big resistance.

Chart 4: Global Payments, Inc. (GPN) and relative to the S&P 500 (bottom)

Source: Optuma, Suttmeier Technical Strategies

Suttmeier Technical Strategies, LLC (STS) provides financial commentary and market analysis for educational and informational purposes only. We are not registered investment advisors, and nothing published by STS should be considered personalized investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or a solicitation to engage in investment activity. All content is impersonal and does not consider your individual financial circumstances. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, and you should consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. STS or its representatives may hold positions in securities mentioned in our publications. Such holdings are subject to change without notice and do not constitute investment advice.