Momentum scanner that catches the stock as it starts to move
A momentum scanner looks for speed, not for size of the move so far. Ours ranks US stocks by change in the last 1 and 5 minutes, new intraday highs, volume surges and halts, so you see the name that starts running at 10:12 ET while it is still early in the move.
A momentum stock screener measured in minutes
Daily screeners call a stock a momentum stock because it is up 30% this month. For a day trader, momentum means the last few candles. We measure it four ways and you choose which ones to combine.
- Change in the last 1 minute, in percent and in multiples of the stock's ATR.
- Change in the last 5 minutes, which filters out single prints and catches a steadier push.
- New intraday high, or a break of the premarket high, with the number of new highs made today.
- Volume in the last 5 minutes compared with the stock's own average for that window.
Why we normalize by ATR
A 2% move in 5 minutes is a big deal for a slow $150 stock and noise for a $3 small cap that swings 15% a day. Dividing the short-term change by average true range puts both on the same scale. On Pro you can write the filter yourself as a custom formula, for instance change in 5 minutes greater than 0.5 times the daily ATR, combined with relative volume above 4x.
Halts are momentum signals and risk signals
Fast movers get halted. Under limit up limit down, a stock that moves too far too quickly in a short window pauses for at least five minutes. The momentum scanner lists each halt and resumption as it prints, with the halt price and direction. Some traders watch the resumption for continuation. Others avoid any name that has halted twice, because the reopen price can gap far past a stop. Both are valid choices, and the scanner gives you the facts to make yours.
Momentum scanner filters that keep the list useful
Without filters, a momentum scan in the first minutes after 9:30 ET throws up dozens of names. A few boundaries keep it readable.
- Minimum price, often $2, to avoid the widest spreads and most frequent halts.
- Minimum volume since the open, for instance 200,000 shares, so the move is tradable.
- Relative volume above 3x, so the move has participation behind it.
- Float, if you trade low float runners only, or want to exclude them.
- Sector, to skip groups you never trade.
- Exclude names already up more than a set percent, if you do not chase extended stocks.
Momentum after the first hour
The open is crowded. Many of the cleaner momentum moves on small and mid caps come later, on a second leg after 10:30 ET or a high-of-day break in the afternoon. The scanner keeps working all session, and on Pro into after hours until 20:00 ET. Pair it with trading alerts on new highs for names already on your day trading watchlist and you do not have to watch the list all day.
What a momentum scanner cannot do
It cannot tell you where the move ends. The fastest rows are often the ones closest to exhaustion, and the most common momentum mistake is buying the third green 1-minute candle after a 40% run. A few habits help.
- Decide your entry trigger before the scan fires, such as a pullback to VWAP or a break of a 1-minute range.
- Size from your stop, not from your conviction. The position size calculator and risk reward calculator are built in.
- Set a daily loss limit and stop scanning when you hit it.
Which momentum entries actually work for you
Each trade you log keeps the scan state at entry: change in 1 and 5 minutes, RVOL, float, price, time. After a few weeks the journal shows whether your entries on 1-minute spikes have a worse average R than entries on 5-minute pushes, or whether trades taken after a halt lose more often. The AI day review reads your own journal after the session and points out repeating patterns, for instance that most of your losses came from entries more than 10% above VWAP. It never predicts the market.
Past performance and backtests do not guarantee future results. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.
Backtest a momentum rule
With backtesting software included in every plan, you can test a rule such as a break of the high of day with RVOL above 3x, a stop under the last 5-minute low and a 30-minute time exit, on historical intraday data. Starter runs 20 backtests per month on 1 year of history, Pro 200 on 5 years.
FAQ
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How fast does the momentum scanner update
It runs on licensed real-time US market data and refreshes continuously during premarket and regular hours, and after hours on Pro.
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Can I scan for new highs only
Yes. Set the scan to new intraday highs or breaks of the premarket high and add your price, volume and RVOL filters.
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Does it include halted stocks
Yes. Halts and resumptions appear as they happen, with the halt price, and you can filter them in or out.
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Is a momentum scan a trading signal
No. It shows stocks that match your filters at this moment. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell and not investment advice.