Almost everyone has heard of ‘Smart Money,’ ‘Dumb Money,’ and the so-called ‘Crowd’. These indicators play a crucial role in gauging investor sentiment. Top-performing money managers, savvy investors, and institutional asset managers rely on them. One of the most famous is the Smart Money Flow Index, which, for instance, is also featured on BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL under SMART <Index> <GO>.
The Smart Money Flow Index (SMFI) is an indicator used to identify the buying behavior of smart versus dumb money in the U.S. stock market.
The Smart Money Flow Index is calculated according to a proprietary formula by measuring the action of the Dow during two key periods: shortly after the opening and within the last hour of trading.
The first minutes of trading are often characterized by emotional buying, driven by greed and fear on the part of retail investors, based on good and/or bad news.
The Smart Money Flow Index (SMFI) can be used in various ways to analyze the market and identify the buying behavior of institutional investors. Some of the ways to utilize the SMFI include:
As the official provider and exclusive source of the Smart Money Flow Index for Bloomberg, we ensure the highest level of accuracy and reliability.
In our members section, subscribers gain early access to the SMFI, receiving it hours before its publication on Bloomberg Professional.
Developed by R. Koch in 1997, the Smart Money Flow Index (SMFI) quickly gained traction among both retail and institutional investors as a powerful tool for tracking market sentiment.
Recognizing its value, Bloomberg approached WallStreetCourier in 2003 to feature the indicator on their professional terminals, a platform exclusively used by top-tier investors and financial institutions.
Since then, WallStreetCourier has been the official source of the Smart Money Flow Index for Bloomberg Professional, cementing its reputation as a key market gauge. This recognition has driven its growing influence, with the SMFI frequently cited in financial publications and market analyses.
The Smart Money Flow Index (SMFI) is a powerful and time-tested tool that deserves a place in every investor’s toolkit. Its core strength lies in its ability to provide early and reliable signals ahead of major market turning points. This makes it particularly effective in gauging when to align with the trend and when to take a contrarian stance.
That said, it’s important to recognize that the SMFI should not be viewed in isolation. Its signals are based on positive and negative divergences, which – while powerful – can occasionally be open to interpretation. This is why the SMFI demonstrates its full potential when used in combination with other predictive indicators, offering a more comprehensive view of market conditions.
After all, no investor wants to trade against ‘Smart Money’. Thus, a clear, data-driven framework is essential – not only to ride trends effectively but also to recognize when it’s time to step aside. Successful investing is not just about identifying trends – it’s about knowing when to follow and when to act contrarian.
That’s precisely the foundation of our research – actionable insights grounded in statistically relevant data, not speculation.
Our research is built on a highly accurate and data-driven framework, backed by decades of practitioner expertise and solid academic literature. Our research approach follows a clear and structured process, making it easy to learn and apply this proven framework to any market whenever needed.
The Smart Money Flow Index (SMFI) has been featured in many articles. Below, we will provide links to some of them. The articles about the SMFI are interesting and informative, so you should definitely check them out if you have time.
Since 2003, WallStreetCourier has been the official source for the Smart Money Flow Index by Bloomberg Professional Service. Below, you will find a screenshot of our Smart Money Flow Index published by Bloomberg.
Smart Money Flow Index nominated as “Chart of the day” on Bloomberg Professional.
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