Core Insights - The U.S. equity markets have experienced significant volatility due to strong quarterly performances from blue-chip tech companies and concerns over the high valuations of AI firms, leading to expectations of a market correction [1][2] - The ongoing U.S. government shutdown, now in its 36th day, has added to investor uncertainty, impacting market sentiment [2] - Despite these challenges, a strong start to the earnings season, particularly from tech companies, has provided some market support [2] Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investing is characterized by the strategy of "buying high and selling higher," capitalizing on established trends in stock prices [3] - This strategy has historically generated alpha across various market conditions, although it requires skill to identify trends effectively [4] - A screening process has been developed to identify stocks with strong momentum, focusing on long-term price appreciation and short-term pullbacks [5][6][7] Selected Momentum Stocks - Shopify Inc. (SHOP) has seen a price increase of 102.3% over the past year but experienced a 10.1% decline in the last week, holding a Momentum Score of B [9][11] - Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (BOOT) has gained 42% in the past year, with a recent decline of 6.9%, and holds a Momentum Score of A [9][13] - Reddit, Inc. (RDDT) has climbed 53.2% over the past year but has seen an 11.8% drop in the last week, also holding a Momentum Score of A [9][15]