BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Relative strength is one of the most
important concepts in technical analysis, especially when
markets are as anxiety-ridden as they are now -- but it’s also
one of the most misunderstood. In this Technical Primer, we’ll
take a look at what relative strength really is, as well as what
it isn’t.  More importantly, we’ll look at how this concept can
help you beat the market, even in challenging conditions.  For
starters, relative strength isn’t the same thing as RSI. RSI,
the initialism for Relative Strength Index, is a momentum
indicator based on a stock’s recent gains and losses. It
measures one point in time vs. another for a single stock.
Relative strength, on the other hand, is simply the relationship
between two securities. Not surprisingly, the fact that these
two separate concepts have nearly the same name is a major cause
for confusion for aspiring technicians.  >>Are Stocks Headed for
a Year-End Rally?  At its core, relative strength (also
sometimes referred to just as RS) is