For example, if the range of a recent channel or price pattern is six points, that amount should be used as a price target once the stock breaks out (see below). Stock moving averages can be calculated across a wide range of intervals, making them applicable to both long and short-term investment strategies. When navigating the financial markets, traders can choose from a number of tried-and-true strategies.

The goal of breakout trading with stocks is to successfully recognize patterns so you can jump in just as the stock breaks the resistance level and have a set exit time in mind. When the price is making large movements, the bands will be wide apart. Quiet periods are often followed by larger price movements and a subsequent breakout. In the Alibaba review the signal and the noise stock chart below, we can see that Alibaba shares showed this pattern before doubling in price over the next year. A breakout above the Bollinger Band signals a potential breakout. Once the share price is near the prior high, if the price swings start to get smaller and smaller, this means that the size of the price movement is contracting.

IBD identifies these as proper bases, which give the stock a clear price at which to buy shares. This is the most important step when trading with breakout stocks. We created this page specifically to help traders detect stocks breaking out today in real time.

Tools to Spot Trend Reversals in Stocks

Placing a stop comfortably within these parameters is a safe way to protect a position without giving the trade too much downside risk. Setting a stop higher than this will likely trigger an exit prematurely because it is common for prices to retest price levels they’ve just broken out of. It’s up a beginner’s guide to forex trading strategies to you to keep an eye on momentum stocks that are consolidating for a move higher. A true breakout should close above the previous high set by the trend and should be accompanied by above-average trading volume. If the consolidation goes on for too long, the chances of a step higher diminish.

Note that these filters do not guarantee that a stock will break above its resistance level and trend upward. For example, multiple breakout attempts can fail before one finally succeeds. There is also a chance that traders will lose patience and exit the stock, causing volume to fall. Looking at the above chart, you can see the initial consolidation of prices, the breakout, the retest, and the price objective reached.

• Another way is to use a real-time intraday breakout stock screener that will alert you to stocks that are breaking out.
• As you’re probably already aware, a breakout can occur when the price of a stock “breaks” through an area of resistance.
• Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service.
• In the case of going short on a downside breakout, a stop loss is typically placed just above the support level that has been breached.

This is important because how long the price movement following a breakout takes to complete is usually related to the timeframe of the support or resistance level. Another way is to use a real-time intraday breakout stock screener that will alert you to stocks that are breaking out. It’s always important to avoid impulse trading or chasing entries when you receive alerts or a breakout list. These screeners or scanners are great for finding stocks breaking out today. You can also watch the new high of the day list to find stocks poised for breakout or breakout stocks to buy now. Some screeners will specifically find patterns like cup and handles.

ways to research stocks like the pros

When trading breakouts, it is important to consider the underlying stock’s support and resistance levels. The more times a stock price has touched these areas, the more valid these levels are and the more important they become. At the same time, the longer these support and resistance levels have been in play, the better the outcome when the stock price finally breaks out. Usually, a breakout stock has a price action that is hovering slightly below or slightly above support and resistance levels, and a stock screener can help you spot this trend. You can also use Bollinger Bands​​, which are a technical indicator for trading strategies, to help identify breakout stocks.

Each of the breakout methods discussed below involve both a stop-loss and a way to take profit. A stop loss should be placed on every trade so that no single losing trade will erode your account substantially, whereas the profit target is more flexible. You can use a profit target or calculate the risk/reward ratio to see if the trade is worth it, or a trailing stop loss, like in the Bollinger Band example above. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team.

Exit at your target price

In turn, stocks that break through these ‘stronger’ barriers are more likely to then go on extended moves. Breakout stocks are shares that move beyond the pin bar trading strategy their support or resistance level. A key concept in technical analysis, breakouts can indicate that a stock is about to make a significant move.

Finding Breakout Stocks: How To Predict A Breakout Using This Chart Pattern

When trading breakouts, there are three exit plans to arrange prior to establishing a position. Regardless of the timeframe, breakout trading is a great strategy. Whether you use intraday, daily, or weekly charts, the concepts are universal. You can apply this strategy to day trading, swing trading, or any style of trading. Whether you’re a seasoned trader or just getting started, mastering your day trading psychology can help you achieve your objectives.

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That low was finally broken on 6 February when the stock opened below 345. This led to a major move lower, with Standard Life Aberdeen shares hitting 220 on 9 February. Throughout this move, the previous support area was repeatedly tested as a new level of resistance.

Auto Trader stock consolidated between 300 and 425 from 2016 to 2019 before breaking out above 600 last year. A lot of the most notable influencers, like Elon Musk, have the ability to channel their popularity and move a stock with just a mention. This tweet by Musk, in combination with hype built-in by Reddit, caused a chain reaction that ignited a buying frenzy. This is exactly what happened at the beginning of the year with plenty of crypto-related stocks. Enter your email address below to receive the latest headlines and analysts’ recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter. Mercedes Barba is a seasoned editorial leader and video producer, with an Emmy nomination to her credit.

Alternatively, some traders will wait until the end of the trading period before acting. If a stock approaches $100 multiple times but always retraces, investors will be unwilling to buy it as they are unlikely to make a return. If you want to find breakout stocks, the best thing you can do is learn to be omniscient. It is unlikely that the stock will maintain its current value for a long period of time, but for smart breakout traders who moved fast, it doesn’t matter. One of the most important things to remember while day trading is that any stock and any market can produce a breakout stock worth jumping into. The stock screener will look at stocks that show this slight movement and then monitor even closer for signs that upward momentum is starting to build.

This selling temporarily drives the price back to the breakout point. If the breakout is legitimate (not a failure), then the price should move back in the breakout direction. If you are going to trade, the breakout stock, then set an expectation of where it will go especially when trading with chart patterns.

How to Find Breakout Stocks

After a breakout, old resistance levels should act as new support and old support levels should act as new resistance. This is an important consideration because it is an objective way to determine when a trade has failed and an easy way to determine where to set your stop-loss order. After a position has been taken, use the old support or resistance level as a line in the sand to close out a losing trade. To determine the difference between a breakout and a fakeout, wait for confirmation.