AI Trader | Minervini: 37 SEPA setups, FTI best at 3.13:1

Mark Minervini

FTI is a textbook pivot, but that volume at 0.67 tells me the breakout lacks institutional conviction. I don’t buy a base breakout without at least 1.5x average volume—otherwise you’re hoping, not trading. The risk-reward is solid, but I’d rather wait for a tighter VCP or a higher-volume retest than chase a half-hearted move. If it can’t confirm today, it goes to watch, not action.

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 342. Actionable 37 · Watch 84 · Avoid 221.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🟢 WEAT +0.3% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 MPC +1.8% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 ZETA +1.7% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FIVN -2.0% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FIVN -2.2% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

Open Positions

SEPA Setups — At or Near the Pivot

FTI · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: FTI is coiling into a proper pivot at 80.8, and the base structure is tightening exactly the way I want to see it before a move. The volume is at 0.67, which tells me we’re not seeing the climax blow-off yet—that’s fine, because I don’t need volume to confirm the setup until the breakout itself. The risk-to-reward is 3.13 to 1, which clears my minimum threshold, and the stop at 74.34 is tight enough to keep the damage small if I’m wrong. This is a VCP in progress, and the price action is telling me the sellers are exhausting themselves. When the pivot triggers, I want to be there at the exact moment, not chasing a runaway train. The target of 101 gives me room to let winners run, and my job is to execute the entry with discipline, not to predict the outcome.

Why wait: Because an imminent setup is not a trigger. I don’t buy anticipation; I buy confirmation. If FTI breaks 80.8 on volume that expands meaningfully, I’m in. But if it stalls, fades, or gaps through without follow-through, that’s a failed breakout, and waiting saves me from a losing trade. The relative strength is unknown right now—that’s a red flag. I never enter a stock that isn’t outperforming the market, because I want the institutional bid behind me, not against me. So I wait for the price to prove itself at the pivot, and I wait for volume to confirm the move. If it doesn’t come, there’s always another setup. Patience is not passive; it’s the active decision to let the market show its hand before I commit capital.

PSX · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: PSX is tightening up right in the zone where a proper VCP should resolve. The buy point at 260.78 isn't a guess—it's the pivot where supply has dried up and the stock is coiled. Volume is at 0.845, which tells me we haven't seen the climactic selling that breaks bases prematurely. The risk-to-reward at 3.13 is acceptable, but that's not why I'm watching. I'm watching because the contraction is happening after a constructive base, and when the market gives you a low-risk entry with a tight stop like 239.92, you don't hesitate. You wait for the trigger, then you act. The target of 325.97 is secondary; the primary job is to protect capital and let the trend work. If PSX breaks that pivot on volume, I'm in. Not before, not after.

Why wait: Because "imminent" means nothing until the tape confirms it. A buy point is only a buy point if it holds and attracts institutional demand. If PSX stalls at 260.78 or rolls over without expanding volume, that's not a breakout—that's a trap. My stop at 239.92 is 8% below entry, which is wider than I like, so I need the pivot to be clean. If the stock gaps through or fails to close above that level, I'm not chasing. The relative strength is a question mark, and that's a red flag. I don't buy bases without RS confirmation; I want to see PSX outperforming the market, not just bouncing with it. Waiting costs me nothing. A missed trade is better than a bad trade. If PSX gives me the right setup tomorrow, I'll take it. If it doesn't, there's always another stock. The market rewards patience, not anticipation.

HPQ · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: HPQ is tightening up into a proper VCP, and that 32.88 pivot is the line in the sand. Volume is at 0.881, which tells me the sellers are drying up—that’s the contraction I want to see before a breakout. The risk-to-reward at 3.13 is acceptable, but that’s not the reason to act. The reason is timing: if this stock takes out that pivot on a volume surge, you’re buying institutional commitment, not hope. I don’t need the RS number to tell me the setup is mature; the price action and the tightness of the base are doing the talking. When the market hands you a clean pivot with a defined stop, you take it—hesitation is what turns winners into spectators.

Why wait: Because "imminent" is not "confirmed." I don’t buy the pivot before it breaks—I buy the break itself. If HPQ stalls under 32.88 or gaps through on weak volume, that’s a trap, and your stop at 30.25 will eat you alive if you’re early. The RS is a question mark, and that’s a red flag; without relative strength, you’re betting on a laggard to lead, and that’s a low-probability game. Wait for the volume to expand at least 40-50% above average on the breakout day. If it doesn’t show up, the base isn’t ready, and you’re better off missing this one than taking a false signal. Patience isn’t passive—it’s the discipline to let the market prove it wants to pay you.

ECO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The setup is right here, not a penny away. ECO is tightening into a VCP with the buy point at 71.87, and that’s where I act—at the pivot, when the supply has dried up and the stock is ready to push through resistance. My stop at 66.12 keeps the risk defined at roughly 8%, which is acceptable for a base breakout if the volume confirms on the move. The reward-to-risk at 3.13 is what I look for; I’m not here to guess, I’m here to take a high-probability entry when the pattern says go. If it breaks on above-average volume, I’m in, and I’ll let the trend work.

Why wait: Because “imminent” isn’t “executed.” I don’t buy anticipation; I buy confirmation. If ECO stalls below 71.87 or breaks down on weak volume, that’s not a breakout—it’s a trap, and waiting saves you from a losing trade. The relative strength is a question mark, and I never ignore that. Without RS above the market, you’re just buying a stock that’s moving, not leading. So I wait for the exact trigger, the volume surge, and the RS to confirm. If it doesn’t come, I move on. There’s always another setup. Patience isn’t passive—it’s the edge that keeps your capital alive for the winners.

COP · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: COP is tightening into a proper VCP right here, and the buy point at 137.52 is the exact pivot where supply has dried up. The 0.815 volatility reading tells me this stock is coiling, not collapsing—that’s the kind of quiet before the move I want to see. My stop at 126.52 is 8% below entry, which is tight enough to keep my risk defined but wide enough to avoid getting shaken out by normal noise. With a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio, I’m not gambling; I’m taking a high-probability setup where the downside is measured and the upside is a clear prior high at 171.9. If volume confirms on the breakout, this is the moment to act—not after the stock runs away from you.

Why wait: If you hesitate, you’re buying extended, and that’s where amateurs get hurt. The pivot at 137.52 is only valid if price triggers it with conviction; if it stalls or fades back below the base, that’s a failed breakout and you’ll be glad you didn’t jump in early. I don’t know your relative strength number, but if RS is weak or lagging the market, that’s a red flag—strong stocks lead, they don’t follow. Waiting also means you’re risking a lower reward-to-risk if you chase after the first pop, or worse, you’re buying a fakeout that breaks your stop immediately. Patience isn’t hesitation; it’s discipline. Let the tape confirm the pivot, and if it doesn’t, there’s always another setup. The market pays those who wait for the right pitch, not those who swing at everything.

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 September 07, 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.