Southwest Airlines pushes on earnings, key resistance levels here

Southwest Airlines Company (LUV) saw a powerful move higher yesterday, with the stock surging more than 18% following its earnings report. Moves of this magnitude tend to immediately put a stock on my radar, especially when they occur in direct response to earnings. When price expands this aggressively, I like to step back, focus on the technicals, and identify where sellers may begin to re-enter the picture if momentum continues.

From a technical perspective, there are three clear resistance levels that stand out to me if price continues to push higher. The first area I am watching closely sits around the $50 region. This level is a major psychological price point and also lines up with a prior pivot high from 2022. Levels like this often attract attention from both traders and longer-term participants, making it a natural place for price to pause or react.

If LUV is able to hold strength through that initial resistance, the next level I have marked is near $52.80. This price corresponds with a prior area of resistance from November of 2021. Historically, these types of levels can act as decision points, where momentum either accelerates through or begins to stall as supply increases.

Beyond that, the third and final resistance level I am focused on comes in around $56.30. This area represents a pivot high from October of 2021 and serves as a higher-timeframe reference point on the chart. If price were to reach this level, it would indicate a meaningful continuation of strength following earnings, but it would also place the stock into an area where sellers have previously stepped in.

As background, Southwest Airlines Company is a publicly traded airline stock that tends to see heightened volatility around earnings events. Because of this, post-earnings price action often becomes technically driven, making key resistance levels especially important to respect when evaluating potential setups.

As always, earnings-related moves can create both opportunity and risk. I approach these situations with discipline, focusing on the technicals and maintaining proper risk management at all times. Large post-earnings moves can be enticing, but protecting capital remains the priority.