How I Pick 6 Stocks to Watch Before 9:30AM (Even Without Indicators)
If you’ve ever opened your charts in the morning and had no idea where to start — I’ve been there. I used to chase whatever was trending or mentioned in Discord, hoping something would run. That never worked for me. What changed everything was building a system that helps me pick just 6 stocks before 9:30AM, every single day — and I do it without using any indicators.
In this post, I’m going to break down my exact process — how I scan, filter, and choose my morning watchlist. This is the foundation of how I trade and how I’ve built a strategy that allows me to pay my bills with stocks. If you want the full system step-by-step, it’s all inside my ebook here.
Table of Contents
Why I Only Pick 6 Stocks Each Morning
Before 9:30AM, there are thousands of stocks moving — but most of them aren’t worth trading. I limit myself to just 6 stocks because:
- It keeps me focused
- I can monitor them properly
- I don’t overload my brain or chase noise
Trading is already emotional — adding too many choices only makes it worse. This simple rule helps me stay in control and improve consistency.
Step 1: I Scan for Volume and Gappers
Every morning around 7:30AM EST, I open my free stock screeners (like Market Chameleon and Finviz). I filter for:
- Volume over 100k
- Price between $1–$30
- Gains or losses over 5%
- News or fresh catalyst
This gives me a rough list of 15–20 tickers that are active in pre-market. I don’t rush — I spend a few minutes checking headlines and making quick notes on what’s moving.
Step 2: I Check the Float and Past Behavior
Next, I look at the float size. Low floats (under 100M) tend to move faster. If the float is under 30M and volume is already high, it goes higher on my list.
Then I ask: Has this stock moved before? If I see that it’s spiked in the past or has a history of running with news, I pay extra attention. These repeat runners often deliver clean setups when the market opens.
Step 3: I Use Price Action, Not Indicators
Here’s where I don’t use indicators. No RSI, no MACD, no VWAP. I open the chart (usually on TradingView) and look for:
- Pre-market highs
- Support zones
- Clean levels where breakouts could happen
If the chart looks choppy or weak, I remove it. If it’s holding its gains and building higher lows, I keep it.
Step 4: I Check News, Earnings, or Sector Trends
Momentum needs fuel — and that fuel is usually a catalyst. I check for:
- Earnings reports
- PR announcements
- FDA approvals
- Sector momentum (e.g. if all biotech is hot)
If a stock is moving with real news and volume, it earns a spot on my watchlist. If I can’t explain why it’s moving, I skip it. That’s a rule I cover deeply in my ebook, because it’s saved me from bad trades.
Step 5: I Narrow It Down to the Best 6
Out of the 15–20 tickers I started with, I filter it down to the best 6. These are the stocks that check all the boxes:
- Clean chart
- Strong volume
- Real catalyst
- Good float
- Room to run
I then label them in priority. My top 2 are usually the ones I watch closest at the open. The others stay on my secondary tab in case they set up later.
Step 6: I Plan My Entry and Risk Levels
Before the bell rings, I draw key levels on my charts — pre-market highs, intraday support, and round numbers ($2, $5, $10). I know exactly where I’d enter, where I’d stop out, and where I’d take profit.
This makes my morning smooth. I’m not guessing. I’m not chasing. I’m following a plan that I created before the crowd shows up.
Why This System Works for Me
This routine helped me go from overtrading and confusion to consistency and confidence. I don’t need indicators or expensive software. I just need momentum, price action, and structure.
By 9:15AM, I’m fully prepared. By 11:00AM, I’m often done trading. And that’s how I built a strategy that allows me to make real income without sitting at a screen all day.
I Built This System to Pay Bills — Not Impress Anyone
This process is simple on purpose. I built it to be repeatable. It doesn’t matter if you’re trading with $300 or $3,000 — these steps apply. I don’t trade to show off. I trade to cover expenses, live my life, and stay independent.
And if you’re looking for a real system you can follow daily — without all the hype — you can grab my ebook here and learn how to build a watchlist just like I do.
Final Thoughts
Picking the right stocks before 9:30AM isn’t about luck. It’s about scanning with purpose, filtering with discipline, and only watching what actually matters. You don’t need 20 tickers. You don’t need a million indicators. You just need a plan.
This is how I trade, and it’s how I pay my bills. If you’re ready to simplify your mornings and start building structure into your trading, grab my ebook and apply what’s inside — one trade at a time.
When I started building this routine, I used to overthink everything. I’d watch 15 charts at once, trying to catch the “perfect” setup — and I’d end up missing them all. Narrowing it down to 6 stocks was a game-changer. It allowed me to give each chart my full attention and trade with confidence, not confusion.
One important factor I look for when picking stocks is how it reacts to pre-market highs. If the stock keeps testing that level and holding steady without breaking down, that’s a strong sign. I’ll usually mark that level as a breakout point and plan around it. If volume comes in at the open and pushes through, that’s when I take action.
I also avoid stocks that have already made their move in pre-market. If a stock is up 80% and fading before the bell, I know I’m probably late. I’d rather focus on stocks that are coiling and waiting to break, not ones that already had their big move. This small filter has saved me from chasing failed breakouts and fake momentum.
Another trick that works for me is watching sympathy plays. If one stock in a sector moves, others often follow. For example, if a biotech name explodes on FDA news, I scan for similar biotech tickers with similar volume patterns. Sometimes the leader is too extended, but the second mover gives a clean setup — and that’s where I find opportunity.
Every watchlist I build starts with volume confirmation. If I see low volume in pre-market, I immediately move on. Momentum without volume is just noise. I want to see real interest. Ideally, I’m looking at tickers with unusual pre-market volume compared to their average daily volume — this is a big clue that something real is happening.
I also pay attention to whole-dollar and half-dollar levels — like $2, $2.50, $5, $10. These levels often act as support or resistance. If a stock is approaching $5 with strong volume, I know that’s a level where momentum can either break out or fail. These are the zones I watch for entries or confirmation after the open.
Before 9:30AM, I take screenshots of the stocks I’m watching and annotate them. This gives me a reference point. I write down what I expect to happen, and then after the market opens, I compare what actually happened. Over time, this has sharpened my instincts and helped me become more accurate in spotting strong setups early.
I also rank my 6 stocks from highest to lowest priority. My top 2 get the most attention at the open. I usually trade from that list unless something unexpected shows up with better structure. This ranking system keeps me from jumping around and ensures I’m always focused on the setups I prepared for.
One of the biggest advantages of scanning before 9:30AM is that you avoid reaction-based trading. You’re not buying something just because it’s moving — you’re planning your levels, understanding the news, and preparing your execution. That structure is what makes the difference between random results and real consistency.
This process also helps with emotional control. I’m not relying on live alerts or social media. I trust my list because I built it myself. When I win, it’s because I prepared. And when I lose, I can go back to my notes and learn from it. That accountability is powerful.
I’ve seen traders try to follow everyone else’s watchlist — but it never sticks. What sticks is learning how to build your own. That’s why I created Pay Bills With Stocks — to show others how to pick tickers, filter the noise, and start every trading day with confidence and structure.
If you’re waking up every morning unsure what to trade, you’re just one routine away from clarity. Pick your 6, plan your levels, and watch how different your mornings feel. This simple process has helped me stay consistent, avoid burnout, and build real results — without indicators or hype.
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