AI Trader | O’Neil: 11 pass the gate, ECO best at 3.13:1

William@CANSLIM Research

ECO is sitting right at 71.87 with a 3.13 reward-to-risk, but volume is only 0.74 times average. That’s the whole ballgame—a breakout without institutional volume is just a rumor. PSX, HPQ, and OSCR are on the list, but none are extended, so they’re worth watching for a proper trigger. With 76 names to avoid, the market is telling you to be selective, not desperate. Patience here isn’t passive; it’s the discipline that keeps you out of the garbage.

Today’s dual scan surfaced 110 candidates (actionable 11, watch 23, avoid 76). Market regime: Confirmed Uptrend. Published 2026-09-08 07:00.

The Market Comes First

The tape reads Confirmed Uptrend. I never fight the general market — three out of four stocks follow it. I only put money to work when the market is in a confirmed uptrend; when distribution stacks up or a correction sets in, I raise cash and wait. No individual chart is good enough to override that.

How I Screen — My Rules, Not Opinions

Today’s List at a Glance

Actionable 11 · Watch 23 · Avoid 76. Names, buy points, stops and targets are below for members.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🟢 ZETA +0.6% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FRO -2.1% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FIVN -2.4% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 MPC +1.7% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 MPC +1.7% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

Open Positions

Ready — At the Buy Point

OSCR · Double Bottom · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The double bottom is confirmed with a proper buy point at 32.04, and the stock is within 0.66% of that trigger—meaning the breakout is imminent, not speculative. The RS line is at a new high, showing this name is leading the market, and the 3.13 reward/risk justifies the entry. I want to see volume expand on the push through 32.04; that institutional footprint is the only confirmation I trust.

Why wait / risk: Today’s volume is only 0.68 times the 50-day average, so there’s no evidence yet that big money is stepping in. If the stock stalls below 32.04 or breaks down on weak action, the setup fails—I will not buy a double bottom that can’t clear its pivot with conviction.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

Imminent — Close to Triggering

ECO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is sitting just 0.61% under a proper buy point at 71.87, with the RS line at a new high and price at its 52-week high—exactly the kind of tight, constructive action I want to see before a breakout. The 3.4-week base is shallow in time but the 46.5% depth shows real institutional churn, and the 3.13 reward/risk ratio justifies waiting for the trigger. Volume today is light at 0.74x its 50-day average, but the up/down volume ratio of 1.72 tells me accumulation is still in control.

Why wait / risk: A breakout on weak volume would be a red flag—I need to see volume expand to at least 1.5x average on the day it clears 71.87, or the move lacks conviction. If the stock fails to trigger within a week and falls below the 50-day moving average, the setup is invalidated; I will not buy a stock that loses its momentum base.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

PSX · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: PSX is coiling just 0.39% below its 52-week high, with the relative strength line at a new high—exactly the kind of institutional footprint I want before a breakout. The 2.4-week base is short and tight after a 41.8% correction, and the up/down volume ratio of 1.808 tells me accumulation is quietly building. I’m not interested in the stock today; I’m interested in the moment it clears 260.78 on volume at least 40% above its 50-day average. That’s the trigger, and it’s roughly a week away.

Why wait / risk: The current close is still 2.18% below the buy point, and today’s volume is only 0.845 times its 50-day average—no institutional thrust yet. If PSX fails to reach 260.78 within the next week or two, or breaks down through 239.92 on heavy selling, the setup is dead. I never buy a stock that can’t prove itself at the pivot; patience here is not optional, it’s the edge.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

HPQ · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is sitting just 0.73% under a proper buy point at 32.88, with the RS line already at a new high—exactly the kind of institutional footprint I want to see before a breakout. The 3.13 reward/risk ratio justifies waiting for the trigger, and the fact that it’s at a 52-week high with only 3.86% extension from the 50-day MA means it’s not yet overextended. Volume today is light at 0.881 times the 50-day average, but that’s typical right before the move—I need the heavy volume to confirm on the day it clears.

Why wait / risk: The base is shallow at 3.4 weeks and deep at 45.72%, which is a low-quality pattern—this isn’t a tight, well-formed structure I’d normally trust. If it fails to break out on volume within the next week, or if it pulls back more than a few percent from the buy point, I’ll drop it. A close below 30.25, my 8% stop, would invalidate the setup entirely—no exceptions.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

MPC · Base breakout · R/R 3.12:1

Why now: MPC is sitting just below a proper buy point at 398.62, with the stock at a 52-week high and its RS line scoring 0.989—near the top of its range. The up/down volume ratio of 2.514 shows institutional accumulation beneath the surface, and the 3.12 reward/risk makes this a high-probability entry if it triggers. I want to see a decisive close above 398.62 on volume at least 40-50% above its 50-day average; today’s volume is only 0.794x, so the breakout hasn’t confirmed yet.

Why wait / risk: The base is only 2.4 weeks long with a 48.63% depth—that’s a deep, loose structure, and the base quality score of 0.507 is mediocre. A pullback below the 50-day moving average or a failed attempt at the buy point on weak volume would invalidate the setup; I’d also walk away if the stock closes below 366.73, my -8% stop, before any breakout.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

Watch List — What’s Missing

Avoid — Why We’re Passing

What I’d Tell You

One, only buy when the market is with you. Two, buy in the zone — from the buy point to five percent past it, never more; the stock that gets away costs you nothing, the one you chase costs you money. Three, the seven-to-eight percent stop is not negotiable. Do those three things and the reward-to-risk takes care of itself.

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 08, 2026. For informational and educational purposes only — not investment advice. Always verify against primary sources before making any investment decision. Ratings use open-data proxies for IBD-proprietary figures and may run looser than the originals.