Hey, Traders,

When I sit down to scan for trades, I’m not just flinging spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.  

There’s a method to it. 

I’ve built a routine that keeps me grounded, especially when the market feels choppy or slow. 

I usually begin my scan in the afternoon and again at night, after the market closes. 

That’s when I can take my time and see what moved during the day (and not just what was hyped up on X or in chatrooms).

What I’m really looking for is range. 

I want to find stocks that are moving, ideally low-float stocks with volume and clean daily charts. 

If a stock is up 50%, 100%, or more on some kind of catalyst, that’s where my eyes go. 

But aside from that, I look at the bigger picture. 

Is this a former runner? Has it spiked before and failed, or is this the first big move it’s made in a while? 

That context helps me decide how aggressive I want to be.

If something’s hitting new highs with a clean chart and it’s backed by real volume, that gets me excited. 

But I’m also watching how the price action reacts to key levels. 

Is it holding up all day? Is it stuffing into resistance? 

That tells me whether longs are in control or if shorts are starting to pile in. 

I love watching those inflection points.

They’re the key to doing well as a trader. 

Here’s what else you can do when scanning for tickers.

The Cycle Continues

I scan again in the morning — premarket — to see if anything is gapping up or trending before the open. 

This is usually around 7 or 8 a.m. 

That’s when I’ll compare what’s running in the premarket to my watchlist from the night before. 

If something I was already watching starts to gap up, that’s a good sign. 

Now it’s on my radar for a possible play out of the gate.

A lot of what I do is based on patterns I’ve seen many times. I’m trying to spot setups where I have an advantage. 

Sometimes that means longing strength early if the setup is there. Other times I’ll sit back and wait to see if the morning push fades and sets up a short. 

Mainly, I don’t try to force it. I wait for the chart to give me something real.

At the end of the day, I’m trying to grow my account steadily as opposed to chasing every single move or trying to catch the top or bottom. 

I want to be consistent. 

That means focusing on my best setups and walking away when they’re not there. 

Scanning is about being ready for when the right trade shows up.

That’s what separates a random trader from someone who treats this like a real business. 

You have to put in the time. You have to build the watchlists, review the charts, and keep learning from every trade. 

The more I study and prepare, the more confident I feel when the market opens. 

The edge comes from doing the work when no one’s watching.

Stay ready, 

Jack