A tool that measures stock market strength by netting the number of stocks whose closing prices were higher than previous trades (ticks), i.e., an uptick or plus tick, against the number of stocks that closed on a downtick or minus tick. When the closing tick is positive, i.e., when more stocks advanced than declined in the last trade, the market is said to be closed on an uptick or was “buying at the close”- constituting a bullish sign. A negative closing tick means more stocks declined than advanced in the last trade, and the market is said to have closed on a downtick or was “selling at the close”- indicating a bearish sign.