When I buy momentum: averages stacked, swings not too wild

Momentum here is not “it’s going up so I buy.” Close has to sit above the 20-day line, that line above the 50-day, and if a typical day’s swing is more than 8% of price I skip it. The breakout book keeps a separate ledger.

Rule name: Setup name momentum_spec.

Rules (mechanical)

1. Trend stack: close > SMA20 > SMA50 (often also above SMA200)
2. Price location: within 15% of 60-day high, or fresh 20-day high breakout
3. Confirmation: 5-day return ≥ +5% or volume ≥ 1.5× 20-day average
4. Volatility cap: ATR% ≤ 8%
5. Stop: ATR × 2 (sometimes 2.5 in earlier configs)
6. Target: min_rr × risk (1.5–2.0 depending on run)
7. Fill discipline: rising-edge on signal bar; next-open fill in backtests

Live-style constraints

• One pick per cycle in ranked live simulations (top-1 if slots available)
• Max ~6 concurrent in portfolio-style backtests
• Secondary alerts: peak drawdown from high, gap down, SMA20 loss — research labels only

Universe

Core liquid list plus optional extras file for smaller names. Russell / small-cap names appear in separate scan paths — not mixed into breakout state.

Extension vs pullback

Near-high tech entries are labeled extension/chase in ops notes. Meaningful pullback seats (SMA20 tag inside trend) are handled by a different watcher — not auto-momentum entries.