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Paul Singh joins this interview to break down how a 20-year swing trader turned full-timer structures his edge, from San Diego screens to real positions he’s managing during the call. Known for running the swing service at Bulls on Wall Street, Paul explains why he splits his time between swing and day trading, how he survived the early blow-ups, and why his process—top-down market read, sector focus, then setups—lets busy traders execute without stress. You’ll also hear the context behind his Netflix trade and why breadth, IWM leadership, and remounts around key moving averages matter right now.
In this piece, you’ll learn Paul Singh’s step-by-step swing approach: reading the market (trend vs. range), drilling into sectors, and then focusing on continuation patterns like pullback-remounts and clean breakouts. We’ll cover his risk-first targeting (aiming for 2:1 or better), the tools he actually uses (9 EMA, 50 SMA, 200 SMA, gaps, volume/accumulation), and how he builds a lean daily routine with 10–25 ready setups so execution is just “click and go.” You’ll leave with a practical workflow to trade around a full-time job, manage drawdowns analytically, and size positions with confidence—without living on screens all day.
Paul Singh Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
The top-down read that sets up every trade
Before he touches a chart, Paul Singh frames the market: trend, breadth, and leadership. He studies how SPY, QQQ, and IWM relate to each other and prefers environments where small caps (IWM) lead and breadth is expanding—because more stocks participate and continuation trades work better. This quick macro pass tells him when to press, when to pass, and which side deserves his attention.
- Each evening and pre-market: review SPY, QQQ, IWM on daily timeframes; trade long only when two of three are trending up (higher highs/lows) and breadth is improving.
- Favor long exposure when IWM leads SPY; cut risk or go selective when IWM lags and breadth rolls over.
- If the index trend is down or breadth is contracting, limit trades to A+ setups or sit out; no “feel” buys.
- Align each trade with the market regime: expansion = continuation/breakout; contraction = lighter size, quicker profit taking.
The setup universe: pullback remounts and clean breakouts
Paul focuses on continuation patterns—strong stocks that pause, respect support, and then re-accelerate. His highest-probability swing is the pullback that holds a key moving average and then “remounts” a fast line or reclaimed gap level. If the stock can’t show strength at support, he skips it.
- Pullback-remount: prior uptrend → pullback to the 50-day SMA → wait for a clear show of strength (bull bar/volume) → enter on a confirmed break/close back above the 9-EMA.
- Breakout: prior base or flag with rising lows → enter on decisive range/high break with volume; no wick-throughs or “maybe” candles.
- Gap remount filter: if an open gap was lost on the pullback, require a firm reclaim of that gap area before entry.
- Invalidation for pullbacks: a daily close back below the 50-SMA or the swing-low that defined the pullback.
- Invalidation for breakouts: failed breakout that closes back inside the base; no “hoping” holds.
Risk first: sizing, stops, and targets
Paul builds trades around predefined risk, not outcome guesses. The stop goes where the trade thesis is objectively wrong; the target must justify the risk with a real structure ahead. If he can’t map at least ~2R to a logical level, he passes.
- Place the initial stop:
- Pullback-remount: below the pullback low or a clean daily close back under the 50-SMA (whichever is tighter but still meaningful).
- Breakout: under the breakout bar, low or the most recent higher-low inside the base.
- Define the first target at a structural level (prior range high, measured move, or next supply zone) that offers ≥2:1 reward: risk.
- Size the position from the stop distance so the $ at risk per trade stays fixed (e.g., “R” is constant); never widen stops to fit size.
- If price moves +1R, consider moving the stop to reduce open risk; after +2R, trail beneath rising higher-lows or the 9-EMA on daily.
Watchlists and a repeatable daily routine
Consistency comes from workflow. Paul keeps a lean set of watchlists—momentum leaders, overbought/oversold opportunities, and sector rotation names—so he’s never starting from scratch. A brief, structured routine converts a big market into a small list of ready-to-trade candidates.
- Nightly: refresh a core momentum list (liquid leaders), an overbought list (for consolidations/flags), and an oversold list (for remounts).
- Note sector rotation (e.g., if solar names heat up, add top tickers to the focus list) and prune anything that loses trend/relative strength.
- Pre-market: re-check SPY/QQQ/IWM, scan for fresh breakouts/remounts, and build a 5–15 name focus list with exact entries, stops, and targets.
- During the session: execute from the plan—no live chart hunting; either the trigger prints, or the setup is skipped.
Entry triggers that keep you out of trouble
The difference between “almost” and “actually” valid is the trigger. Paul waits for proof—specific reclaim levels and closes—so weak bounces don’t suck him in. He also filters entries with volume and bar structure to avoid low-quality signals.
- Pullback-remount trigger: intraday break is fine, but requires a strong 30–60 minute hold or a daily close back over the 9-EMA; avoid single-tick tags.
- Breakout trigger: enter only on a range expansion bar through the level; no entries on thin, low-volume pokes.
- If volume is below average and the bar has a long upper wick, skip—quality of move > speed of move.
- If the market (top-down read) flips against the trade before entry, cancel the order and reassess.
Trade management on winners and losers
Management is rules-based: scale when the market justifies it, and cut when the thesis breaks. Paul lets winners breathe while protecting against give-backs, and he never turns a winner into a loser because the plan always leads.
- After +1R: tighten the stop to reduce risk; consider partials only at real levels (prior highs, measured moves), not random round numbers.
- Trail on strength: keep the stop under the 9-EMA for fast trends; if momentum fades, switch to swing-low pivots or the 20-EMA.
- If the stock closes below your “line in the sand” (e.g., 50-SMA on pullbacks), exit—no averaging down.
- On news-driven spikes against you, respect the stop; do not widen it. If you’re concerned ahead of events, pre-emptively trim size.
Simple charting that highlights the edge
Paul keeps charts clean so the signal stands out. A handful of moving averages and volume tell him what he needs to know—trend, pullback depth, and confirmation—without decision fatigue.
- Core daily chart: 9-EMA (momentum), 50-SMA (swing trend), 200-SMA (major context), and volume; annotate open gaps and key highs/lows.
- Weekly check: confirm higher-timeframe structure supports the daily setup; skip daily longs fighting a weekly downtrend.
- No indicator stacking: if price action and the MAs disagree, price wins; remove anything that doesn’t change the decision.
Psychology and discipline are baked into the process.
Edge comes from repeating the plan, not predicting. Paul eliminates “maybe” decisions by front-loading rules into scans, lists, and triggers—so execution is almost mechanical.
- Pre-commit entries, stops, and targets for every focus-list name; if the market opens and you’re improvising, you’re late.
- One thesis per trade; if the reason you entered is gone, exit—don’t invent a new reason to hold.
- Track R-multiples, not dollars, to stay unemotional; review winners/losers weekly to refine triggers and invalidations.
Putting it together on a real ticker
The process looks the same for every name. A strong trend pulls back, respect for the 50-SMA shows buyers are still around, and a remount over the 9-EMA with volume confirms momentum is back. Targets map to prior supply; stops live where the thesis fails.
- Checklist before entry: uptrend in place → market alignment → pullback holds 50-SMA → remount over 9-EMA → volume confirms → 2R to the next level.
- Stop: beneath the pullback low or a firm close under 50-SMA.
- Target 1: prior range/top; Target 2: measured move or next supply.
- Management: lock risk at +1R, trail under 9-EMA or higher-lows, and step aside if the market context deteriorates.
Start Top-Down: Read SPY, QQQ, IWM Before Any Trade
Paul Singh starts every session by asking what the market is doing—not what he hopes it will do. He compares SPY, QQQ, and IWM daily to decide whether risk is opening or closing. If two of the three are printing higher highs and higher lows with improving breadth, he’s leaning long; if they’re choppy or diverging, he dials back aggression. This quick scan gives him context, so individual tickers aren’t judged in a vacuum.
He also watches leadership shifts because they tell him which playbook to use. When IWM leads, Paul expects broader participation and favors continuation trades; when small caps lag, he keeps size lighter and takes profits quicker. Sector rotation off the index narrows his focus to the groups actually carrying the tape. Only after this top-down check does he drill into setups—so every entry aligns with the market’s real mood.
Trade Continuation: Pullback Remounts and Clean Breakout Confirmations
Paul Singh hunts for strength that pauses, resets, and then proves it still wants higher. His bread-and-butter is the pullback that respects the 50-day and then remounts the 9-EMA with authority. If a gap was lost during the dip, he wants a decisive reclaim before considering entry. Wicks without follow-through don’t count; he wants a full-bodied push and volume that says real buyers are back.
For clean breakouts, Paul Singh requires a range expansion bar through the level, ideally with above-average volume and a strong close. He avoids thin pokes that slip back into the base and won’t chase if the risk-to-reward falls below roughly two-to-one. Stops live under the pullback low for remounts and just beneath the breakout bar or last higher low for bases. If confirmation fades or the market backdrop turns, he cancels the idea and waits for the next high-quality continuation.
Risk First: Volatility-Based Sizing, Logical Stops, Two-to-One Targets
Paul Singh builds every trade around a fixed R, so risk is constant while size flexes with volatility. He sizes positions by the dollar distance to an invalidation level, often using recent range or ATR as the volatility proxy. The stop sits where the thesis is objectively wrong—below the pullback low for remounts or under the breakout bar/last higher low for bases. If the setup can’t map at least two times that risk to a clean structural target, he simply passes.
Once price moves about +1R, Paul Singh works to reduce open risk without strangling the trend, tightening the stop to a meaningful pivot fast-moving average. At +2R, he’ll trail under higher lows or the 9 EMA to let momentum do the heavy lifting, taking partials only at real supply, not round numbers. He never widens stops to “give it room” and caps total portfolio heat so a cluster of correlated names can’t dent equity. The result is a repeatable math-first framework that survives chop and compounds during trends.
Build Lean Watchlists and a Repeatable Daily Trading Routine
Paul Singh keeps his universe tight, so decisions stay sharp. Each evening, he refreshes a small list of momentum leaders, a few consolidating names, and a couple of oversold remount candidates. He prunes anything that loses trend or relative strength, so tomorrow’s list starts clean. By morning, he already knows the exact tickers worth attention.
During pre-market, Paul Singh updates levels, defines entries, stops, and targets, and promotes the best five to a focus list taped to his screen. Once the bell rings, he executes only from that plan, avoiding impulse scans and social distractions. He schedules quick check-ins at set times instead of staring all day, which keeps his energy for the actual triggers. The routine turns the market from noisy chaos into a simple checklist he can run every single day.
Favor Mechanics Over Prediction: Triggers, Volume, and Market Alignment
Paul Singh treats forecasts like background noise and lets mechanics make the decisions. He waits for specific triggers—reclaims, breakouts, remounts—then checks that volume confirms real demand. If those signals don’t appear, he doesn’t “anticipate”; he simply moves on.
Once in a trade, Paul Singh keeps alignment with the broader tape front and center. If the market turns against his thesis, he reduces risk or exits, even if the single name still looks fine in isolation. He also avoids averaging down because it breaks the rule that the trigger must stay valid. The net effect is simple: rules first, predictions second, and results that come from repeatable execution rather than lucky guesses.
In the end, Paul Singh’s edge is a simple loop he runs every day: read the tape top-down, hunt for continuation, and manage risk like a hawk. He wants SPY, QQQ, and especially IWM to confirm the backdrop, then he drills into sectors actually leading. From there, it’s the same two workhorses again and again—pullback remounts over the 9-EMA after respecting the 50-SMA, and clean breakouts with real range and volume. If the setup can’t map a logical invalidation and at least a two-to-one reward, it doesn’t make the list. Stops live where the thesis fails, not where they “feel” comfortable, and he won’t average down or widen risk to save a trade.
The workflow is what makes it repeatable: tight watchlists, precise levels, and execution that only fires on confirmation. Once in, he reduces risk at +1R, trails with higher lows or a fast-moving average around +2R, and lets the market do the lifting while he guards against give-backs. If the broader context flips, he cancels or trims—mechanics over prediction, always. Do this consistently, and the market shrinks from noise into a checklist: align with leadership, demand confirmation, size by volatility, protect capital first, and let winners breathe. That’s the real lesson from Paul Singh: a clean, rules-driven process that any busy trader can run day after day.
