Setups - Gap Up
Overview
The Setups - Gap Up profile highlights stocks that opened above the previous day's high and also meet additional breakout conditions. These are not just any gap-up names. They must also show stronger long-side context, such as a resistance break, a move out of tight range compression, or a confirmed 3-day breakout pattern.
The result is a more focused list of gap-up setups where upside structure, volatility, and participation are already working together.
This profile updates in real time and applies filters automatically to surface liquid gap-up setups with breakout confirmation, favorable risk/reward, and a clearer path to the projected target. It can be used across all market sessions, but is especially relevant during pre-market and early regular market hours.
Strategy Focus
- Identify gap-up setups that opened above the previous day's high
- Focus on names with confirmed breakout context such as resistance clearance, tight-range expansion, or 3-day breakout patterns
- Prioritize setups with favorable upside risk/reward and fewer barriers to resistance on the way to target
- Narrow review to liquid, volatile stocks that can follow through after the gap
- Combine strategy metrics, volume confirmation, and group strength to refine long-side ideas
- Build watchlists around clean upside continuation setups rather than random strong opens
Filters Applied
This profile applies multiple layers of filters to keep the results focused on gap-up setups with stronger upside context:
- Liquidity Rating > 70, ATRP 14D ≥ 0.5, Volatility (Month) ≥ 1: Ensures the stock is liquid and active enough for long setups to follow through cleanly.
- AI - Alpha Strategy = Long: Requires MarketAlpha to detect a long-biased setup.
- AI - Risk/Reward ≥ 2, AI - Path to Target ≤ 1: Keeps only setups with strong upside potential relative to risk and limited barriers between price and target.
- Gap Hi/Low (%) > 0: Requires the stock to open above the previous day's high.
- Gap To Res/Sup Contains R, Tight Range = Yes, 3 Days BreakOut/Dn = Breakout: Requires at least one structural trigger that reinforces the gap-up setup.
These filters keep the profile centered on gap-up names with confirmed breakout conditions and cleaner upside structure.
Metrics Used
Strategy Metrics
- AI - Alpha Strategy: Shows whether MarketAlpha currently identifies the setup as long-biased.
- AI - Risk/Reward: Measures the projected upside relative to the stop.
- AI - Path to Target: Counts how many key barriers remain between price and the projected upside target.
Price Action and Breakout Context
- Change Pre Market (%): Shows whether strength is already expanding before the regular session.
- Change From Close (%): Tracks current strength relative to the previous close.
- RSI Divergence 14 Days: Adds momentum context and can reinforce improving conditions.
- Universal Pattern Detection: Adds bullish pattern confirmation.
- Tight Range: Helps show whether the setup is breaking higher out of prior compression.
Volume, Liquidity, and Activity
- Volume All Hours: Confirms total participation across all sessions.
- Relative Volume: Helps show whether the gap-up move is supported by stronger-than-normal activity.
- Dollar Volume Rank: Keeps the most liquid and actively traded names near the top.
Group and Relative Strength Context
- Industry Rating 1 Day, Theme Rating 1 Day: Show whether short-term group action is also strong.
- Industry Rating 1 Year, Theme Rating 1 Year: Add broader group context behind the move.
- Relative Strength 1 Day, Relative Strength 1 Year: Help compare short-term and long-term strength.
Fundamentals and Timing
- MarketAlpha Rating: Composite view of overall technical and fundamental quality.
- EPS Rating, Sales Rating, Profit Rating: Help show whether the long setup is also supported by stronger business performance.
- Accumulation/Distribution Score: Tracks institutional flow, where stronger readings can reinforce upside pressure.
- 52 Week High (%): Shows how close the stock is to its yearly high, which helps frame breakout potential.
- Next Earnings In Days: Adds timing context around possible catalyst risk.
Default Sorting Logic
Results are sorted by Dollar Volume Rank (ascending) to keep the most liquid and active gap-up setups at the top.
Practical Use Cases
- Find gap-up setups with stronger breakout confirmation
- Focus on long candidates that opened above the prior high and still have a cleaner upside path
- Monitor resistance breaks, tight-range expansions, and 3-day breakouts in one focused view
- Build watchlists around liquid stocks with fresh upside continuation conditions
- Strengthen long-side review with volume confirmation, group strength, and strategy metrics
- Use Multi-Charts to validate gap behavior, breakout context, and upside follow-through