Momentum Breakout Scanner
Find stocks breaking out of tight bases on heavy volume — the classic momentum continuation setup, scored 0–100 so the strongest candidates rise to the top. Built from Kristjan Kullamägi’s published breakout method and running across roughly 1,900 US stocks every session.
The momentum breakout is the bread-and-butter play for swing traders who follow price momentum. The pattern is straightforward: a stock makes a strong advance, pauses in a tight consolidation while volume dries up, then pushes through the top of that range on a surge of buying. The prior run proves the stock can move. The quiet flag proves sellers are done. The volume on the breakout day proves new buyers are stepping in.
What makes a breakout scanner useful is not finding breakouts — any screener with a price-above-range filter can do that. The hard part is separating real setups from noise. A stock that grinds sideways for two months and nudges above the range on average volume is not the same trade as a leader that ran 40% in three weeks, pulled back 8% on half its normal volume, and now breaks out on twice its average. The scoring system handles that distinction automatically.
Kristjan Kullamägi — known online as Qullamaggie — is a Swedish swing trader who turned a small account into tens of millions using this exact pattern. He has shared his process extensively through live streams and interviews. We studied his published rules and independently implemented them in code: the required prior move, the base depth and duration, the volume contraction during the flag, and the volume expansion on the breakout. Kullamägi is not affiliated with SwingTradeScanner; his published method is simply the foundation this scanner is built on.
How the momentum breakout scanner works
Every evening after the close, the scanner rebuilds its rankings across the full universe of roughly 1,900 US stocks. It identifies stocks that have made a meaningful advance in recent weeks, then checks whether the current pullback qualifies as a proper base.
The scoring system evaluates each candidate on four axes, weighted by how much each factor matters to the quality of the setup:
- Momentum (up to 35 points) — How strong was the prior advance? A stock that ran 50% in three weeks scores higher than one that drifted up 10% over two months. The scanner measures rate of change, not just magnitude.
- Trend position (up to 20 points) — Where is price relative to the 50-day, 150-day, and 200-day moving averages? A stock trading well above all three is in a confirmed uptrend. One trading below the 200-day is not a momentum candidate.
- MA surfing (up to 25 points) — Is the stock riding the 10- and 20-day exponential moving averages cleanly? Leaders pull back to these short-term averages and bounce. A stock that slices through them is losing its momentum character.
- Volume (up to 20 points) — Has volume contracted during the base and expanded on the breakout attempt? Volume contraction during the flag is the signature of sellers drying up. Without it, the setup is incomplete.
A setup scoring 80 or above has strong marks in every category. These are the names worth putting on your watchlist. Scores below 50 usually have a problem — the base is too deep, the prior run was weak, or volume is not cooperating.
What you see in each result
Every row in the momentum breakout scan shows you the full picture, not just a ticker symbol and a price:
- Breakout score — The 0–100 composite, broken down into its four components so you can see exactly where the setup is strong and where it falls short.
- Daily chart — Candles with the 10- and 20-day EMAs, the base range highlighted, and volume bars beneath. You see the setup without leaving the scanner.
- Relative strength rank — Where this stock sits against the full universe on a 1–99 scale. Leaders typically rank 90 or above.
- Fundamentals — Earnings growth, revenue growth, next earnings date, and sector. A breakout backed by accelerating earnings is a different trade than one running on hype alone.
- Catalyst — If the stock had a recent news event or SEC filing, it appears here with a link to the source. You know why it moved before you decide whether to trade it.
Questions about the momentum breakout scanner
What is a momentum breakout?
A momentum breakout happens when a stock that has already shown strong upward momentum pulls back into a tight, low-volume consolidation, then breaks above that range on increased volume. The prior run proves the stock can move. The quiet pullback shows sellers are exhausted. The volume expansion on the breakout confirms new demand is arriving.
How does the breakout score work?
Each candidate is scored 0 to 100 across four categories: momentum (how strong was the prior run), trend position (where is the stock relative to key moving averages), MA surfing (is price riding the 10- and 20-day EMAs cleanly), and volume (is the breakout day’s volume above average). A score above 80 means the setup checks nearly every box.
Who is Kristjan Kullamagi?
Kristjan Kullamägi (also known as Qullamaggie) is a Swedish swing trader who turned a small account into tens of millions trading momentum stocks. He shares his process publicly through live streams. SwingTradeScanner independently implemented his published breakout method in code. He is not affiliated with this product.
What makes a base tight enough to qualify?
The scanner measures the depth and duration of the pullback after the initial run. A tight base typically corrects less than 15–20% from its high and lasts at least 5 trading sessions. Volume should contract during the base, showing that selling pressure is drying up.
Other scanners
SwingTradeScanner includes seven scanners, each built from a published method:
- Momentum Breakouts — You are here
- Episodic Pivots — Overnight gaps on real news, live from 04:00 ET
- Parabolic Short — Overextended stocks ready to snap back
- Parabolic Long — Capitulation bounces after a crash
- Minervini SEPA — Trend template tightening into a breakout
- O’Neil CANSLIM — Earnings growth meets chart strength
- Sector Rotation — Strongest stocks in the hottest sectors
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