Canadian Natural Resources had its Relative Strength (RS) Rating upgraded from 79 to 82 Wednesday.

When looking for the best stocks to buy and watch, one factor to watch closely is relative price strength.

IBD's unique RS Rating identifies technical performance by showing how a stock's price action over the last 52 weeks measures up against that of other stocks on the major indexes.

Decades of market research shows that the stocks that go on to make the biggest gains often have an 80 or higher RS Rating as they launch their biggest climbs.

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Canadian Natural Resources is building a cup without handle with a 38.20 entry. See if the stock can clear the breakout price in volume at least 40% higher than normal.

Top and bottom line growth moved higher in the company's most recent quarter. Earnings were up 290%, compared to 0% in the prior report. Revenue increased from 47% to 127%.

The company earns the No. 1 rank among its peers in the Oil & Gas-Canadian Exploration & Production industry group.