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Unusual Volume

Stocks trading significantly above their average volume

Volume Scanner

This scanner ranks the session's most heavily traded US-listed stocks and puts each one's share volume next to its own average, so you can see where activity is genuinely out of the ordinary. Relative volume is the shortcut: 2.00x means twice the usual number of shares changed hands. Read it alongside the Change % column — heavy trading tells you conviction is high, while the price move tells you which side is winning.

Stocks on page
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Ranked by share volume
Above 2x average
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Clear volume outliers
Advancing
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Positive on the session
Highest rel. volume
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#SymbolCompanyPriceChange %VolumeAvg VolumeRel. Volume
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How to read this table

1

Start with relative volume

The final column compares today's shares traded with the stock's own average. Anything from roughly 2x upward means the session is busy by that company's standards, and the bar gives you the scale at a glance.

2

Check the price direction

Volume is conviction, not direction. Pair a high multiple with a strong positive Change % for buying pressure, or with a sharp decline for selling pressure. Flat prices on huge volume can point to two sides trading heavily against each other.

3

Mind the risks

The largest multiples often belong to low-priced, thinly traded shares where spreads are wide and moves reverse quickly. Confirm the reason behind the spike on the stock's page before acting on anything you see here.

What unusual volume means

Unusual volume means a stock is trading far more shares than normal — usually measured as relative volume (today's volume versus the stock's own average). A reading around 2x normal or higher flags that something has changed: earnings, news, analyst actions or big institutional trades.

Volume confirms conviction, so a price move on unusual volume carries more weight than one on a quiet day. Rising on heavy volume signals buying demand; falling on heavy volume signals selling pressure. Always find the catalyst before acting.

Learn more: How unusual volume works and what to do about it.

Frequently asked questions

What does “unusual volume” mean?
Unusual volume describes a stock whose trading activity in the latest session stands out compared with the amount of shares it usually trades. Heavy activity normally means more traders are reacting to something — earnings, guidance, an analyst call, a sector move or index rebalancing — so the price is being set by a wider group of buyers and sellers than usual.
How is relative volume calculated?
Relative volume divides the session's share volume by the stock's average volume. A reading of 2.00x means the stock traded twice as many shares as it typically does, while 0.80x means it traded less than usual. Because it is a ratio, it lets you compare a small-cap name with a mega-cap on the same scale.
Is high volume a bullish signal?
Not on its own. Volume shows conviction, not direction. A large move higher on heavy volume suggests buyers are in control; the same volume alongside a sharp decline points to aggressive selling. Always read the Change % column next to the volume figures before drawing a conclusion.
Why do volume spikes happen?
The most common triggers are earnings and guidance updates, analyst upgrades or downgrades, corporate actions such as offerings, mergers or index inclusion, sector-wide news, options expiry, and low-priced shares attracting short-term traders. Very high multiples are most frequent in thinly traded small caps, where a modest number of shares can dwarf the average.
Why do some rows show relative volume below 1.00x?
The list is ranked by total share volume, so the market's busiest names appear here even when their activity is close to or slightly below their own average. Those rows are still the most heavily traded stocks of the session — sort your attention toward the higher multiples if you specifically want outliers.
How does the Stocks Telegraph unusual volume scanner work?
It ranks stocks trading well above their normal (average) volume — a relative-volume view — so you can quickly spot where activity is unusually high and investigate the catalyst.
What counts as unusual volume?
Generally about two times a stock's average volume or more; the higher the ratio, the more likely a real catalyst is behind the move.
Is unusual volume bullish or bearish?
It depends on price direction — up on heavy volume is buying demand, down on heavy volume is selling pressure. Volume confirms the move rather than causing it.