Screener settings
Best Finviz momentum screener settings
Field by field, for the free screener — plus what each filter is protecting you from.
Finviz is the fastest way to run the Classic Momentum Leaders recipe because every field it needs sits on one screen. Here is the exact configuration.
Descriptive tab
| Field | Setting | Protects against |
|---|---|---|
| Country | USA | Thin ADRs and unfamiliar reporting |
| Exchange | NASDAQ or NYSE | OTC liquidity problems |
| Market cap | +Small (over $300M) or +Mid | Microcap manipulation |
| Average volume | Over 500K | Slippage on exit |
| Price | Over $10 | Low-priced volatility |
Technical tab
| Field | Setting |
|---|---|
| 50-day SMA | Price above SMA50 |
| 200-day SMA | Price above SMA200 |
| 52-week high | 0–20% below high |
| RSI (14) | Not overbought (below 70) for leaders; 40–60 for pullbacks |
| Performance | Quarter up |
| Performance 2 | Half up |
For fresh breakouts instead
Swap the 52-week-high filter to "New High," set Relative Volume over 1.5, and set Change to Up. Keep both moving average filters. This turns the same screen into the Fresh Breakout recipe.
For pullbacks in leaders
Keep Quarter up and Half up. Change RSI to the 40–60 band, widen the 52-week-high filter to 0–25% below high, and drop the relative volume requirement — on a healthy pullback, volume should be drying up, not spiking.
Reading the results without fooling yourself
- Sort by the 6-month performance column, not the 1-day column.
- Add the Dollar Volume view, or mentally multiply price by volume. 500K shares of a $12 stock is a different market than 500K shares of a $200 stock.
- Free Finviz data is delayed. If your recipe leans on relative volume, run the screen after the close.
- Open the Groups view first and check whether the sectors your results sit in are actually leading.
Then score the survivors with the momentum score rather than picking by feel.
Educational and informational purposes only. Nothing here is financial advice, investment advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Trading and investing involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial professional before making investment decisions.