Finding high volume stocks can be a great tool for active traders. By finding stocks with lots of trading activity you can get a feel for the direction of the market and opportunities. Stock screeners make it easy to filter and find these active stocks every day. Volume filters allow you to customize your search by relative volume, daily volume, options activity or intraday volume spikes.
You can set up these volume scans with most stock screeners. You can customize the settings to fit your trading style and goals. Whether you’re looking for momentum or wanting to find something unusual market activity volume based stock screens are a great place to start for further analysis and trade ideas.
High Volume Stocks
High volume means big market interest in a stock. To find these you can use a stock screener. These tools allow you to filter by volume.
Some volume filters to use:
- Relative volume (vs average)
- Absolute volume thresholds
- Volume spikes or unusual activity
- Volume-to-float ratio
When using a volume screener you’ll want to look for stocks that are showing unusual activity compared to their normal trading patterns. This could be news, institutions buying or other catalysts driving interest.
Remember high volume alone doesn’t guarantee a winning trade. You need to combine volume with other technical and fundamental factors. Also consider the stock’s price action, sector trends and any news or events.
Most stock screeners allow for customizable volume filters. Try different settings to see what works for you.
High Volume Stocks
Relative Volume Screening Tools
Relative volume screening tools compare a stock’s current volume to its average volume at the same time of day. Set a minimum relative volume ratio to find stocks trading at 2x, 5x etc of their normal volume. This is a great filter to find unusual market activity and trade ideas.
Today’s Volume
Use share count or percentage based filters to look at today’s volume. Look for stocks trading 300% to 500% above normal volume to find big market interest. These filters will find stocks that are active today.
Yesterday’s Volume
Compare yesterday’s total volume to the average daily volume using percentage based filters. Set a minimum threshold of 300% to find stocks that traded way above normal volume yesterday. This will find stocks that are still trending or have follow through.
Options Volume
Screen for unusual options activity by comparing today’s contract volume to normal daily volume. Set a minimum of 300% to find stocks with double the normal options activity. Additional filters for put and call contract volume will give you more insight into market sentiment and price direction.
Intraday Volume Screening
Use intraday volume filters to look at activity over short time frames like 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minute intervals. Set percentage based thresholds to find stocks that are spiking in volume. For example a 300% minimum volume filter for the last 15 minutes will find stocks that have had a big volume spike recently.
- For momentum traders
- Pre-market and after-hours trading
- Stocks that can move fast
Intraday volume screening tools give you real-time alerts and can process large amounts of data quickly so are perfect for traders who focus on short term market movements and time sensitive trades.
Intraday Volume Stock Screener
A stock screener for high intraday volume can be a great tool for traders who want to get in on the momentum. By finding stocks that are active you can get in before the trade fully develops.
One way to do this is to set up a screener for “Extreme Volume” within a price range. For example you can target stocks between $5 and $25. This will filter out penny stocks but still capture mid-range volatile stocks.
When a stock triggers your volume alert you need to look at both the short term (e.g. 5 minute) and daily charts. Look for:
- Big volume spikes on the intraday chart
- Breakouts on the daily chart with high volume
These patterns mean big market interest and can lead to big price moves.
Using this screener has several advantages:
- Early entries
- Better price execution
- Bigger moves
Different types of traders can use this information:
- Day traders: Act on intraday volume spikes
- Swing traders: Use volume as confirmation for breakouts
- End of day investors: See how high volume days formed to make decisions
Even if you can’t trade during market hours you can still review these alerts after the close to help with your next day trading plan.
To get the most from your high volume stock screener:
- Set specific volume thresholds (e.g. 3x average daily volume)
- Combine volume with other technicals
- Use price filters to target your desired range
- Consider relative volume (vs the stock’s normal volume)
By using these filters you’ll find stocks that can move big. You’ll have an edge in the stock market and be able to get in before the herd does.
High Volume Penny Stocks
Finding high volume penny stocks requires special techniques. You can use stock screeners to filter for low priced stocks with high volume. Set your parameters for price (under $5), volume and other criteria that interest you. This will find you penny stocks with big market interest. Just remember to do your research before you buy as penny stocks are higher risk.
High Volume Stocks
Trade Ideas has great filters for high volume stocks especially for intraday activity. Perfect for day traders and swing traders who want to get in on the momentum.
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TrendSpider has more technicals and fundamentals. Maybe for you if you want to consider more.
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