Scan 5,000+ stocks daily for Mark Minervini-style VCP setups. Tightening contractions, pivot ranges, and volume dry-ups detected. Each setup graded A+ to B.
Run this scan →The Volatility Contraction Pattern represents one of the most sophisticated supply-and-demand frameworks in modern technical analysis. At its core, the VCP tracks the progressive tightening of price swings within a base — each contraction becoming shallower than the last as the pool of willing sellers shrinks toward exhaustion.
Why does volatility contract? As a stock builds a base over weeks or months, overhead sellers — those who bought at higher prices and want to exit at breakeven — gradually get filled. Each wave of selling produces a smaller price decline because fewer sellers remain. Meanwhile, informed buyers are quietly accumulating, placing a floor under the price that rises with each contraction.
The pivot point — where the final contraction meets the upper boundary of the base — is the moment of maximum tension. Volume at this point should be at its lowest, indicating that supply has been almost completely absorbed. A breakout from this pivot on a surge of volume signals that demand is overwhelming the last remnants of supply, often launching a powerful Stage 2 advance. Mark Minervini has demonstrated this pattern repeatedly in his championship-winning trading, proving its edge across thousands of trades.
Created by Mark Minervini as part of his SEPA (Specific Entry Point Analysis) methodology. Published in Trade Like a Stock Market Wizard (2013) and refined in Think & Trade Like a Champion (2017). Minervini won the U.S. Investing Championship in 1997 with a 155% annual return using this approach, and repeated his championship performance in 2021. The VCP is the culmination of his supply-and-demand analysis framework developed over three decades of professional trading.
Our scanner evaluates the following criteria when detecting VCP — Volatility Contraction Pattern setups across 5,000+ stocks daily.
For VCPs, an A+ grade means three or more progressively tighter contractions with clear volume dry-up at the pivot. Each contraction should be at least 30% shallower than the last. Lower grades indicate fewer contractions or insufficient volume decline. This is not a prediction of future price movement — it is a way to prioritize which charts deserve your attention first.
Buy when price breaks above the pivot point (the high of the final contraction) on volume at least 50% above the 50-day average. The tighter the final contraction, the more precise the entry.
Place stop below the low of the final contraction. For tighter stops, use the midpoint of the last contraction. Never risk more than 7-8% from entry on any single position.
The initial target is the distance from the base low to the pivot, projected above the breakout. Many VCP breakouts in strong markets exceed the measured move — trail stops to capture extended moves.
This is educational content only. Not financial advice. Always do your own research and manage risk appropriately.