How to Screen for High-Momentum Stocks and ETFs Using Barchart

When traders talk about “momentum,” they’re usually referring to the stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that are leading the market — those with high relative strength, powerful breakouts, and technical trends supported by volume. But how do you actually find them before the rest of the crowd piles in?

In a recent live webinar, John Rowland, CMT, sat down with Jim Van Meerten, author of Barchart’s Chart of the Day newsletter, to break down Jim’s proven process for screening high-momentum candidates.

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The Logic Behind Momentum Trading

Momentum isn’t just a buzzword. By focusing on stocks and ETFs already showing strength, traders can tilt the odds toward catching the next leg higher, rather than chasing a runaway trend.

Jim’s Momentum Screener Setup

In the clip, Jim explains how he funnels a large universe of stocks down to the best of the best:

1. Start with momentum watchlists: Top Stocks to Buy, Top Stocks to Own, and new highs lists on Barchart.
2. Filter with Weighted Alpha: Jim looks for higher Weighted Alpha (a measure of long-term price appreciation).
3. Apply Barchart Opinion: Screen for stocks with Barchart Opinion ≥ 99%, which confirms strength across 20-, 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages.
4. Add Strength & Direction: Tighten further by requiring top-percentile scores in signal strength and trend direction.

The result? From the entire S&P 500 Index ($SPX), only about 27 stocks made the cut at the time of the webinar. That’s the power of momentum screening — taking hundreds of candidates and narrowing it down to a handful of actionable setups.

Tools to Replicate the Process on Barchart

• Stock Screener: Apply filters for Weighted Alpha, Barchart Opinion, and Strength/Direction.
• ETF Screener: Find sector and thematic ETFs leading in momentum (AI, Energy, Financials, etc.).
• Flipcharts & Chart Templates: Rapidly scan charts of screener results to confirm technical setups.
• New Recommendations: Catch fresh buy signals aligned with momentum indicators for both stocks and ETFs.

Bottom Line

Momentum trading is about clarity and consistency — using data-driven tools to filter out noise and focus on the stocks and ETFs most likely to keep moving.

Watch the clip of Jim Van Meerten explaining his screener: