Shares of Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPW) traded at a new 52-week high today of $14.80. Approximately 1 million shares have changed hands today, as compared to an average 30-day volume of 1.4 million shares.

In the past 52 weeks, shares of Medical Properties Trust have traded between a low of $8.65 and a high of $14.80 and are now at $14.74, which is 70% above that low price. The 200-day and 50-day moving averages have moved 0.94% higher and 1.83% higher over the past week, respectively.

Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPW) defies analysts with a current price ($14.74) 3.3% above its average consensus price target of $14.25. The stock should discover initial support at its 50-day moving average (MA) of $13.09 and subsequent support at its 200-day MA of $10.99.

Medical Properties Trust Inc. is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed to acquire and develop net-leased healthcare facilities. These facilities include inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, regional acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and other single-discipline healthcare facilities such as heart hospitals.

SmarTrend recommended that subscribers consider buying shares of Medical Properties Trust on July 5th, 2012 as our proprietary SmarTrend analytics indicated a new Uptrend was in progress when shares hit $9.74. Since that recommendation, shares of Medical Properties Trust have risen 49.2%. We continue to monitor MPW for any potential shift so investors can protect gains and will alert SmarTrend subscribers immediately.