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Litmus Guide

Everything on a ticker card, explained. Pattern badges are display-only — they don't change the Litmus score.

Litmus Score

Formula: (TSF + MOMO) / 2

The core score out of 100. TSF measures entry quality (10 checks), MOMO measures trend strength (10 checks). Each check is worth 10 points.

Grades

A+ = 90+ with RS 90+   A = 80+ with RS 70+   A- = 70+   B+ = 60+   B = 50+. A top score with weak RS gets capped at A-.

TSF — Entry (10 checks)

Not extended

EMA9 and EMA21 both under 1.5× ATR. Price isn't stretched.

Healthy structure

No freefall — price hasn't collapsed recently.

Volume expansion

10-day average volume is 1.3×+ the 60-day average. Institutions are accumulating.

Good position

Price above the 50-day MA or within 10% of the 60-day high.

Tight recent action

Recent price action is contained, not wild.

Has setup

A trigger or pullback pattern is present.

No EMA21 veto

Price isn't 2-3×+ extended above the 21 EMA (don't chase).

Higher lows

Recent lows are rising — uptrend structure intact.

Market regime

SPY is in a bull regime (above weekly EMA).

Clear air above

No 60-day high within 5% overhead — room to run.

MOMO — Trend (10 checks)

Up days lead

6+ up days out of the last 10.

Bullish MA stack

10MA > 21MA > 50MA — proper uptrend alignment.

High ADR

Average daily range above 3% — the stock actually moves.

RSI rising

RSI is accelerating upward.

3m momentum positive

3-month return is positive.

Volume conviction

2×+ volume on an up day — buyers are committed.

50d rising

The 50-day moving average is sloping up.

Strong close

Closed in the upper half of the day's range.

Accumulation

Up days have higher volume than down days.

Higher highs & lows

Both highs and lows are rising — healthy uptrend.

Stage Analysis (Weinstein)

Stage 1 / 1A / 1B

Basing. Price consolidating under a flat 150MA. 1A = early basing, 1B = late basing.

Stage 2 / 2A / 2B

Advancing. Price above a rising 150MA. 2A = early uptrend (first 20 sessions), 2 = established, 2B = late uptrend (195+ sessions).

Stage 3 / 3A / 3B

Topping. Price chopping around a flattening 150MA. Distribution zone.

Stage 4 / 4A / 4B

Declining. Price below a falling 150MA. Avoid longs.

Extension & Risk

E9 / E21

Distance from the 9-day and 21-day EMA, measured in ATR multiples. E21 ≥ 2.0× shows the EXTENDED badge.

ADR%

Average daily range as a percentage of price (14-day). ≥4% = 🔥 elite mover, ≥3% = banger, <2% = sleepy.

RS Rating

Relative strength vs the market (0-99). 90+ = top decile leader.

Mansfield RS

Weinstein's relative strength vs SPY. Positive = outperforming the market.

EC Score

Event-conditioned session-memory score (0-60). What the prior session's pattern implied, scored daily. Display-only.

Volume Badges

HVEHighest Volume Ever

Record volume day within the last 30 sessions — higher than any day in the prior 2 years. The top setup. Card gets gold treatment.

HV4HV Streak

Consecutive days at 1.3×+ average volume. Number = streak length. Sustained institutional buying.

PV5Persistent Volume

5+ of last 10 days at 1.3×+ volume, even with gaps. Ongoing accumulation.

DRYDry Pullback

2×+ thrust within 20 sessions, then volume dried up under 1.0× at the 21 EMA. Buy the quiet pullback.

ECHOHVE Echo

2×+ thrust → dry pullback → another 2×+ thrust. Second wave of institutional buying.

Pattern Badges

XBACKEMA Crossback (Clement Ang)

Uptrend + bunched 10/20 EMAs + price crossed back above. Launchpad entry.

HTFHigh-Tight Flag (O'Neil)

2×+ run in ≤8 weeks, now flagging <25% deep. Most explosive pattern.

3WT3 Weeks Tight (O'Neil)

3 weekly closes in a tight range on quiet volume after a run.

VCPVCP (Minervini)

Progressively smaller pullbacks — supply drying up.

EPEpisodic Pivot (Qullamaggie)

Gap up on huge volume after quiet period. Potential major low.

Other

EXTENDEDExtended

E21 ≥ 2.0× ATR. Stretched — don't chase breakouts.

NEWNew

Newly added to this list.

Jeff Sun Contraction

DCR/ATR = daily range ÷ ATR14 (≤0.50× = tight). Tightening sessions = consecutive range contractions (6 = VCP-like).

Jeff Sun Hard Rules (display-only)

ADR% ≥3%, 200MA not declining, 50MA extension <4× ATR, LoD/ATR ≤60%.