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
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01
Scan the universe
Every evening after the close, the scanner rebuilds its rankings across roughly 1,900 US stocks, identifying those that have made a meaningful advance in recent weeks.
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02
Measure momentum
Each setup is scored up to 35 points on momentum — how strong was the prior run. A stock that ran 50% in three weeks scores higher than one that drifted up 10% over two months.
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03
Check trend position
Price must sit above the 50-day, 150-day, and 200-day moving averages for up to 20 points. A stock below the 200-day is not a momentum candidate.
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04
Evaluate MA surfing
Up to 25 points for riding the 10- and 20-day EMAs cleanly. Leaders pull back to these short-term averages and bounce; a stock slicing through them is losing its momentum character.
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05
Confirm volume
Up to 20 points for volume contraction during the base and expansion on the breakout attempt. Without volume drying up in the flag, 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
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.
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.
Every result also carries a 2LYNCH quality grade. Read how the 2LYNCH checklist works.
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Start your free trialThis scan is one of Kristjan Kullamägi’s three setups. See all three in the Qullamaggie scanner overview.