AI Trader | Minervini: 38 SEPA setups, RNG best at 3.13:1

Mark Minervini

The tape is constructive, but 38 actionable out of 355 tells me selectivity is everything. RNG’s base is tight, and that 68.55 pivot is clean—volume at 0.829 is acceptable, but I want to see it expand on the follow-through, not just the breakout. My buy is only valid if it holds that level; if it stalls, I’m out. Remember, you don’t need to swing at every pitch—just the ones with the right timing and risk.

The Trend Template Gate

Market: Confirmed Uptrend. Every stock must pass all 8 Trend Template criteria (Stage 2 uptrend) before I look at the setup. Today’s scan covers 8 deepvue scans merged and deduplicated.

Today at a Glance

Scanned 355. Actionable 38 · Watch 48 · Avoid 269.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🔴 RNG -2.2% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 AMLX -4.6% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 PTGX -3.0% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 TBXU +9.9% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 PTGX -3.0% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

Open Positions

SEPA Setups — At or Near the Pivot

RNG · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: RNG is tightening into the final coils of a VCP, and the buy point at 68.55 is the exact pivot where supply has been exhausted. Volume is at 0.829 relative to average, which tells me the breakout hasn’t fired yet—but that’s the point. I don’t buy the base; I buy the break. When price hits 68.55 with a volume surge of at least 40-50% above average, that’s my trigger. The risk is defined at 63.07, which is a tight 8% stop from entry, and the reward is 25% to target. That’s a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio, and I’ll take that all day if the market confirms. The pattern is imminent, not extended, and that’s the only time I act with conviction.

Why wait: Because an imminent breakout is not a breakout. If you buy at 68.55 before volume confirms, you’re guessing, and guessing gets you stopped out. I’ve seen too many traders jump the gun on a pivot only to watch the stock fade back into the base. The stop at 63.07 is your insurance, but it’s only effective if you enter at the right moment. If RNG breaks out on weak volume or fails to hold above 68.55 for even a few minutes, you’re not in a trade—you’re in a trap. Wait for the volume spike. Wait for the close above the pivot. If it doesn’t come, there’s always another setup. Patience is not passive; it’s the active decision to let the market prove itself before you risk a single dollar.

FCX · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: FCX is tightening up into a proper VCP, and the buy point at 77.43 is the exact pivot where supply has dried up. The volume profile shows 1.979, which tells me there’s institutional participation lurking—not the dead tape you see in a failing base. My stop at 71.24 is 8% below entry, which is my absolute max risk; I’m not giving this stock room to wander. The reward-to-risk at 3.13 is acceptable, but that’s not what gets me in. What gets me in is the contraction: each pullback is shallower, each rally is stalling less, and the breakout is imminent. If it triggers, I’m buying the exact moment it clears that pivot with conviction—not a penny before, not a penny after. That’s timing, and timing is everything.

Why wait: Because “imminent” isn’t “executed.” I don’t buy anticipation; I buy confirmation. If FCX gaps up or breaks out on weak volume, that’s a trap, and I’ll let it go. If it fails to clear 77.43 and rolls over, my stop would have been hit anyway, but I’d rather miss the trade than take a loss on a failed breakout. The RS is a question mark, and that’s a red flag—I need relative strength to confirm leadership, not just a chart pattern. If the market is weak or FCX is lagging its sector, the pivot is worthless. So I wait for the trigger, I check volume against the 50-day average, and I only act when the tape says “now.” Patience is a position, and right now, my position is cash until FCX proves it can hold that line.

NTRA · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: NTRA is tightening up right in the pocket where I want to see it. The base is compressing, volatility is contracting, and the stock is sitting at the pivot—not below it, not extended. That 0.834 relative volume tells me the market isn’t fully awake yet, which is exactly the setup I look for: quiet before the institutional bid hits. My buy is 333.66, and I’m not waiting for a higher close or a confirmation candle that costs me 5% of the move. The risk is defined at 306.97, and with a 3.13 reward-to-risk, I’m getting paid to act now. If this breaks, it breaks fast, and the ones who hesitate are the ones who chase.

Why wait: Because the stock hasn’t triggered yet. I don’t buy anticipation; I buy execution. If NTRA stalls at this pivot or rolls over on a failed breakout, my stop at 306.97 is my insurance, but I’d rather not pay the premium if the market tells me it’s not ready. The relative strength is a question mark—I don’t have that number, and without it, I’m flying blind on whether this is a leader or a laggard. Waiting for the volume to confirm, say a 1.5x or better surge on the breakout day, filters out the false starts. Patience isn’t hesitation; it’s discipline. If it doesn’t fire, I lose nothing. If it fires and I’m late, I’ll take the next setup. There’s always another train.

WT · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: WT is tightening up right in the pocket where I want to see it. The base has been coiling for weeks, and the last few pullbacks are getting shallower—that’s the VCP signature. Price is sitting just under that 23.64 pivot, and volume is drying up to 0.632, which tells me the sellers are exhausted. When the bid comes in on a volume spike, that’s my trigger. I don’t need to predict the breakout; I need to be ready to pull the trigger the moment it confirms. The risk is defined at 21.75, and the target at 29.55 gives me over 3 to 1. That’s a trade I can take all day. The setup is imminent, not hypothetical.

Why wait: Because an imminent setup is not a buy signal. If I jump in at 23.40 just to “beat the crowd,” I’m buying before the pivot, and that’s how I get chopped up in a false start. I need to see price actually take out 23.64 on above-average volume—preferably at least 1.5x the 50-day average. If it stalls under that level, I wait. If it breaks and then falls back below the pivot, I’m out. No exceptions. The stop at 21.75 is non-negotiable, but I’d rather miss the first few cents of a move than take a loss on a failed breakout. Patience is a weapon. The market will tell me when it’s time—I’m not going to guess.

ABNB · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: ABNB is tightening into the right side of its base, and the VCP is showing the kind of contraction I want to see before a pivot. Volume is at 0.978, which tells me the supply is drying up—sellers are exhausted, and that’s the setup for a breakout. My buy is 189.3, just above the pivot, and I’m not waiting for confirmation beyond that. The risk is defined at 174.16, which is a tight stop relative to the target of 236.62. That’s a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio, and that’s the kind of asymmetry I’ll take every time. If this breaks, it breaks fast, and I want to be in before the crowd sees it. The stock is telling me it’s ready; I’m just here to pull the trigger at the exact moment.

Why wait: If you hesitate, you’re not buying a breakout—you’re buying a chase. The moment ABNB clears 189.3, the risk changes. Your stop will have to be wider, your reward-to-risk will shrink, and you’ll be relying on hope instead of structure. I don’t trade hope. I trade probabilities, and the probability is highest at the pivot, not after it runs 5% or 10%. Waiting for a pullback after the breakout means you’re betting on a retest that may never come, and if it does, it might be a failed breakout that takes you out. The RS is unknown, but that’s not an excuse to delay—if the volume confirms on the break, the RS will follow. You wait, you lose the edge. You act, you own the risk. That’s the difference between a trader and a spectator.

Watch List

Avoid

What I’d Tell You

Risk first, always. Know your stop before you enter. Size from the stop, not from how much you want to make. If a stock violates after the breakout — closes below the 20-day, fails to follow through, shows heavy selling — do not wait for the hard stop. Act. The difference between a good trader and a great one is not the entries; it is the exits.

Stage, pattern and sentiment labels are generated by rule-based approximations (Weinstein stage analysis, Minervini trend template and heuristic pattern detection), not by precise technical analysis. Data as of August 22, 2026. For informational and educational purposes only — not investment advice. Always verify against primary sources before making any investment decision. SEPA-inspired system. VCP geometry is partially visual; the detector is a proxy. All thresholds are author calibration.