To find stocks with Elite Relative Strength (RS), you need a systematic scanning process. True market leaders show their strength by making new highs before the major indexes (like the S&P 500 or Nasdaq) or by holding firm when the broader market is correcting.
Here is a step-by-step blueprint to find high-RS stocks using standard scanning tools (like MarketSurge, TradingView, or StockCharts):
1. The Raw Relative Strength Scan (The Baseline)
If you are using a platform that calculates a proprietary RS Rating (like IBD/MarketSurge, which ranks stocks from 1 to 99 based on price performance over the last year), your starting point is simple:
Filter for RS Rating $\ge$ 90: This immediately eliminates 90% of the market, leaving you only with the top 10% of performance.
Filter for RS Rating $\ge$ 95: Use this during a market correction to find the absolute elite tier.
2. Visual RS Scans (The "Line in the Sand")
If you don't have access to 1-99 ratings, you can use the RS Line (which plots the stock's price divided by the S&P 500 index price). Look for these specific visual behaviors:
RS New High Before Price
This is one of the most powerful leading indicators in technical analysis.
The Setup: The stock price is still consolidating or pulling back below its recent peak, but the RS Line has already broken out to a clear new lifetime or 52-week high.
What it means: Institutional accumulation is silently aggressive. Big money is absorbing every share available while the general market is distracted.
Blue Dot Scans (MarketSurge / Custom Scripts)
A "Blue Dot" occurs when a stock's RS line hits a new 52-week high while the stock itself is still in a base or consolidation pattern.
If you use TradingView or ThinkOrSwim, you can search for community scripts called "RS Line New High Before Price" or "IBD RS Blue Dot" to plot this automatically on your charts.
3. Market Correction Scans (The "Resilience" Test)
The absolute best time to find true RS is when the market index ($SPY or $QQQ) is actively falling. When the tide goes out, you see who is swimming with a rocket booster.
Run a scan with these parameters during a market pullback:
Price: Stock is trading above its rising 8-week EMA (or 21-day EMA).
Index Comparison: The S&P 500 is trading below its 21-day or 50-day moving average.
Performance: Stock is within 10% of its 52-week highs, while the index is down 5% to 10%+ from its highs.
4. Combining RS with Volume Signatures
High RS on low volume can be a trap. To ensure the relative strength is backed by institutional footprint, layer your RS scans with volume filters:
RS > 90 + HV1 (Highest Volume in 1 Year) within the last 5-10 days.
RS > 90 + HVE (Highest Volume Ever) on a recent PEG (Power Earnings Gap).
A Quick Example Checklist:
If the market sells off 300 points, look for the stock that finishes the day positive or completely flat on above-average volume. Put that ticker at the top of your watchlist it is your primary candidate for an Inside Day contraction or an Under-Cut and Rally (U/C) setup the moment the market stabilizes.
The upcoming Market Wizards book is approaching completion. As such, @jackschwager and I have decided to release the names of the traders included in the book and their associated X handles. Here they are:
Kristjan Kullamägi @Qullamaggie
Lance Breitstein @TheOneLanceB
Simon Russo @simonrusso__
Lukas Fröhlich @TheShortBear
Phil Goedeker @Tradestl
Kelvin Chiu @KC_SilverCape
Jason Berry @Positive_Equity
Kenny Sharkness of @smbcapital (Kenny has no public X account)
Rick Bandazian Jr. @Off_The_Tape
Looking forward to sharing the book with the world!
If you'd like to pre-order the book, you can do so here: https://t.co/yJ9wjrw9Pp
For discounted bulk orders (US only) go here: https://t.co/gJoKIF2dr5
One of the best decisions I made in my career was to stop looking to the market indexes as a barometer of health for breakout stocks and leading names, or even specific industry groups. The big turnaround for me came when I started letting the individual stocks themselves do the talking, and I did the listening.
When I first started posting on X I gained little traction. I just kept posting before and after charts and eventually people started taking notice. If you want results commit to your craft, work hard, stay consistent, disciplined and results will follow. No short cuts.
Qullamaggie shows His Scans In-Depth
“My scans? Sure. This is strongest scan. This scan scans specific watchlist I have for the strongest stocks - most of them are growth stocks.
Then like EP, these are stocks that gap up seven and a half percent or are up at least seven and a half percent. Above yesterday’s highs and at least 15 million in dollar volume.
Then I have my momentum watch list. It’s also a specific watch list I have. Pretty much scan stocks that are up today in that watch list.
ETF scan. 30 million in dollar volume and 6% ADR.
And then I have lower liquidity. Higher ADR, these are pretty much like stocks that are not very liquid but have a very high ADR. So you can take a smaller position and still make decent money because the stock is likely to make a bigger move.
Those are my intra-day scans.
Then I have my weekend and overnight scans. Also, which I use to build my watchlist. Pretty much, scan for the strongest stocks on every time frame. Like 1 month, 6 months, 3 months, 2 years, 1 and a half years, etcetera.
They all look the same, like 60 million in dollar volume. 3.5 ADR and ranks among the 7% strongest, and they all look the same. The only difference is the time frame.
Then I also scan for the biggest 5-day gainers: 60 million dollar volume and up 25% in the past 5 days.
So those are pretty much my main scans, and I also scan for the biggest losers. One and two year time frames, just to find the beaten-down names that could make big moves.”
For investments:
Contrarian in the entry, trend follower in the recovery to expansion, contrarian if needed in the exit.
Trader building the position, investor in analyzing potential and risks.
Buying great business when out of favor because of mainly external issues is my goal for the longer term part of my approach.
Some will be internal issues, but it warrants a steeper discount to make me take the risk.
Long:
-Durable Competitive Moat
-High Return on Capital (especially incremental)
-Strong Free Cash Flow
-Simple, Understandable Business Model
-Dominant Market Position
-Mission-Critical Products or Services
-High Customer Retention and Loyalty
-Low Obsolescence Risk
-Low Cyclicality
-Long Runway for Reinvestment
-Capital-Light with Operating Leverage
-Self-Funded Growth (no dependence on capital markets)
-Clean, Transparent Financials
-Conservative Use of Debt
-Rational, Owner-Oriented Management
-Consistent, Disciplined Capital Allocation
-Ethical, Long-Term Focused Leadership
-Low Executive Turnover and ideally founder-led
-Culture of Rationality and Accountability
-Built-In Optionality Without Overpaying
Short:
-No Sustainable Competitive Advantage
-Low or Declining Return on Capital
-Negative or Inconsistent Free Cash Flow
-Complex, Opaque, or Hard-to-Understand Model
-Weak Market Position / Intense Competition
-Commoditized or Non-Differentiated Products
-High Customer Churn or Weak Brand Loyalty
-High Risk of Technological Obsolescence
-Highly Cyclical or Dependent on Macro Tailwinds
-Limited or No Reinvestment Opportunity
-Capital-Intensive with Low Margins
-Reliant on Frequent Capital Raises or Debt
-Aggressive or Manipulative Accounting Practices
-High Leverage with Poor Debt Discipline
-Management Focused on Ego or Empire-Building
-Huge management pay packages over business profitability
-Poor Capital Allocation History (e.g. bad M&A, buybacks at highs)
-Short-Termism Over Long-Term Value Creation
-High Executive Turnover or Dysfunctional Culture
-Misaligned Incentives / No Skin in the Game
-Lack of Transparency and Accountability
@QendrimSh06 The fact that you held through twice retests to your entry is really amazing!!
I entered on the similar level, but got taken out on the second retest for BE...
But anyway, solid trade shorting the top!