# S&P 500 Universe Momentum Scanning

The S&P 500 momentum scanner filters the 500 leading publicly traded US corporations for high-probability weekly trend setups. Because S&P 500 components feature immense institutional liquidity, low bid-ask spreads, and multi-billion-dollar market caps, weekly 50WMA retests in this universe provide exceptionally clean technical signals with low slippage risk.

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## Universe Characteristics

- **Constituents:** ~500 large-cap US companies representing approximately 80% of available US market capitalization.
- **Liquidity Profile:** Highest institutional volume in global financial markets.
- **Scan Cadence:** Evaluated every weekend upon receipt of finalized Friday weekly closing bars.

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## Why Screen Large Caps for Momentum?

Contrary to common belief that momentum only exists in micro-caps, mega-cap and large-cap leaders (such as semiconductors and enterprise software) frequently produce sustained, multi-quarter trending moves that respect institutional technical levels like the 50WMA.

Review our [Methodology](/methodology) and [Disclaimer](/disclaimer).