Market Movers

High stock volume can be good or bad, depending on the context. It indicates high trading activity and greater liquidity. This can be a positive sign if you are an investor looking for easy entry into or exit from the market. However, unusually high volumes may potentially lead to highly volatile prices. To better understand if high stock volume is a positive or negative sign, you need to analyse it along with price action.

High volume in stock trading means that a large-than-average number of shares are being purchased and sold within a given period — typically, one trading day. It is a symbol of heightened investor interest and increased trading activity in a particular stock. High volume can be a result of many factors like positive market news, earnings reports or broader market trends.

High-volume stocks are typically identified by comparing a stock’s current trading volume to its average daily volume (ADV). To find them, look for stocks trading at high multiples of their ADV — like 2 to 3 times more or higher. You can also use stock screeners that sort stocks based on volume metrics. An easier alternative is to check out the list of volume gainers on the Research 360 platform powered by Motilal Oswal.

A stock is generally considered to have high trading volume if its trading activity exceeds its average daily volume (ADV). While there is no universal threshold, many traders consider the volume to be high if it is at least 2 to 3 times the ADV. However, this can be subjective and depends heavily on the stock’s historical trading data, liquidity, market cap and sector.

To find out if a stock has a high trading volume, compare its current trading volume to its average daily volume. Then, check if the stock is trading at 2x or 3x its average volume. If its trading volume is significantly above its average, it may be a high-volume stock. You can also check out the list of top volume gainers on the Motilal Oswal Research 360 platform, which shows you the volume, volume change and average weekly volume of the top high-volume stocks in the market.