For prices, the 52-week range is the lowest and highest close over the past year. For economic indicators FinVolio uses ten years, because they move more slowly.
The marker shows position, not direction. A price near its 52-week high has risen a long way over the year; near its low, it has fallen.
Why it matters
Traders watch the ends of the range because many market participants do: prices breaking above a 52-week high often attract buyers following momentum, and falls to new lows can trigger selling. For economic data, a reading near a 10-year extreme signals an unusual state of the economy.
General information, not advice.