Sometimes, everything feels stuck. The market drifts sideways, volume thins out, and setups just don’t follow through.
You watch the screens, wait for the signal, but nothing clicks. It’s in these moments, when the noise dies down and patience is tested, that most traders start to doubt the process.
I’m telling you right now… Don’t lose hope!
Everything can shift in a single morning.
It happened just this past Monday. After a slower-than-expected first week of 2026 trading, an explosive mover turned a dull market into a feeding frenzy.
After announcing a letter of intent to merge with Azio AI, Envirotech Vehicles Inc. (NASDAQ: EVTV) gained 280%*, and that was just before noon!
That monster surge is exactly why I love Mondays!
After the weekend ends and Monday morning arrives, one of the most reliable patterns of the week tends to show up, almost like clockwork.
Fueled by fresh headlines and typical Monday morning momentum, traders pile in, and the action heats up fast.
But that window doesn’t stay open for long…
That’s why we dial in with a reliable and proven strategy that’s built to take advantage of that early volatility before the move fades and the latecomers start chasing.
Learn for yourself how to catch big Monday runners like EVTV in my video tutorial below:
When the right kind of breakout appears, it’s rarely an isolated event…
It’s a message, and if you know how to read it, you can position yourself for everything that comes next.
The key is recognizing when it’s more than just one moving ticker, but a spark that will set off everything else.
How a Single Runner Can Light Up the Entire Week
For weeks, the market had been slowly grinding. Yes, the S&P has been pushing to new highs, but most day traders haven’t felt much heat.
The big picture has been strong, but the day-to-day action in low-priced, momentum-driven names has been inconsistent at best.
That changed on Monday morning.
A low-float stock most traders had never heard of, Envirotech Vehicles Inc. (NASDAQ: EVTV), dropped a press release and suddenly became the epicenter of the small-cap world.
The move didn’t just reward traders who were ready but sent a message to everyone else: the game is back on.
The Signs Were There
To the untrained eye, EVTV came out of nowhere…
But for traders who’ve been watching low floats with news catalysts and unusual pre-market activity, the signals were clear.
EVTV started its move early Monday with a morning press release. It wasn’t anything revolutionary, just another company announcing a business update. But it didn’t have to be groundbreaking. It had the right ingredients:
- Low float
- News catalyst
- Early volume
- Price action confirming interest
That’s a combination that often leads to momentum, and that’s exactly what happened.
691% in a Single Day
During my Pre-Market Prep session, I set a target for EVTV at $1.80 or $1.90. (Learn more about my Pre-Market Prep and my Daily Income Trader System right here.)
EVTV didn’t just hit those numbers but blew past them. The stock ripped through resistance levels and surged throughout the day, reaching a high of $3.71 after hours, marking a 691% gain from the morning low.
The chart below shows the entire move:
EVTV Intraday, 5-Minute Candles Chart; SteadyTrade
Even for traders who missed the premarket or initial entry, there were multiple opportunities to get involved. Our Oracle system gave another signal post-open at $1.32, and the stock still delivered a 181% move from that level.
This wasn’t just a strong trade but the kind of move that shifts market psychology.
Because what follows a monster like this isn’t just attention on the ticker. We’re talking about renewed energy, volume, and focus across the board.
What “The One” Does to a Market
A breakout like EVTV does more than reward traders in the moment. It changes the tone.
Here’s what usually happens after a major runner lights up the screen:
- FOMO Kicks In:
Traders who missed the move start scanning harder, digging deeper, and watching closer. That creates more attention on other names in the same sector or with similar setups.
- Sympathy Plays Emerge:
Tickers that are even loosely related to the runner start moving. In this case, other electric vehicle names or low-float energy plays see unusual volume, even without news.
- Volume Returns:
Drought in the market? Not anymore. One breakout gets people excited, and suddenly you see 10 to 20 stocks on the move instead of one or two.
- Technical Patterns Start Working Again:
In a cold market, breakouts fail, and dip buys fade. But after “the one” hits, those same patterns tend to start working again because more traders are participating.
EVTV wasn’t just a moving ticker but a signal for something much bigger. And if you know how to read that signal, you can position yourself for what comes next.
Spot the Spark Before It Catches Fire
Here’s what to look for so you know when “the one” is showing up.
Low Float:
Stocks with fewer shares available for trading tend to move faster. EVTV, with a float of only 4 million shares, had this edge.
News Catalyst:
Press releases, filings, or sector news can ignite a move. It doesn’t have to be revolutionary, just fresh. For EVTV, it dropped news of a preliminary letter of intent to merge with Azio AI.
Note, the term preliminary… That’s all it took to send this stock on a tear.
Premarket Volume:
When a stock trades unusual volume early in the morning, as EVTV did, it’s worth a look.
Oracle or Algorithmic Trigger:
Tools like Oracle can help identify when a stock is meeting key criteria, which saves time and confirms setups. It did that with EVTV by sending a signal to buy at $1.32.
Strong Price Action After 9:45 a.m.:
Many traders wait for the “late morning push.” When a setup confirms after 9:45, it’s often a safer window, especially for newer traders.
My Final Thoughts…
All it takes is one…
One press release, one low-float setup, and one chart that goes vertical.
When it happens, it’s easy to feel like you’ve missed the move. But if you understand the power of “the one,” you know that it’s not just about the ticker but about what it unleashes.
Your job is to stay ready, stay patient, and be prepared to strike when the next setup hits your screen.
Because one great trade can flip the switch…
But the best traders know the real money is made in the follow-through.
Have a great day, everyone. See you back here tomorrow.
Tim Bohen
Lead Trainer, StocksToTrade