I know how they work. They are made up of representational businesses across each industry (ie Walmart retail, Apple Technology etc) and each indice utilizes the combined movement on a point basis. They utilize economic data and reports and rise and fall based on the consumer sentiment and data. I guess what I'm really trying to ask is this, some companies do not move in tandem. Others do the reverse. So, what is it that differentiates those that do and do not mirror the indices...
Can you give examples of specific stocks and time frames when you have observed this? Then you are more likely to get more than general answers.
I have no specific examples, I guess in trying to ask this question I have answered it in my own mind. Something fundamentally was happening within any given company on a given day to make them move higher while the Dow, Nasdaq, or S&P moved lower. Maybe their credit score was upgraded at Moody's or an analyst upgraded them to a Buy or any number of underlying fundamental reasons. Trading on a purely technical basis all I see is the major market movers on a day the Dow is bombing.
Share price is a PERCEIVED value. PERCEPTION usually takes into account empirical data, which may include fundamentals, circumstantial data which is sometimes referred to as in-sympathy in either a positive or negative way, and of course there is a good-will component as well. However, there is no particular order or weighting to the types of data at any particular moment in time. If Walmart sales and foot traffic are up, without knowing the breakdown of sales it may be perceived that shoppers in middle and lower income brackets are becoming price sensitive. This "perception" may be applied to other discount retailers share price, as well as higher-end retailers share price. It's a PERCEPTION. Knowing the sales breakdown, a completely different perception may be drawn. Share price is a perceived value.