General Electric Company and 3M Company may be settling into bullish long-term patterns on the weekly chart. General Electric may be in the process of printing a bull flag, while 3M could be setting up the right shoulder of a bullish head-and-shoulder pattern. If the formations are recognized, both stocks could be in for a run to the upside, with General Electric’s measured move potentially pushing the stock 17 percent higher and the measured move on 3M’s indicating the stock could pop up about 9 percent. It should be noted, however, that events affecting the general markets, negative or positive reactions to earnings prints, and news headlines about a stock can quickly invalidate patterns and breakouts. As the saying goes, “the trend is your friend until it isn’t” and any trader in a position should have a clear stop set in place and manage their risk versus reward. In the News …