TSLA Opening Range Breakout
An intraday momentum strategy that trades Tesla's first move of the day, buying a breakout above the opening range and flattening before the close.
Last updated June 18, 2026
The idea
The TSLA Opening Range Breakout (ORB) strategy trades the burst of volatility right after the US market opens. The first 30 minutes often set the day's range; a decisive break above that range can signal the direction of the session's trend. This strategy buys that breakout and exits intraday — no overnight risk.
How it works
- Define the range — record the high and low of the first 30 minutes after the open (the opening range).
- Entry — go long when a 5-minute candle closes above the opening-range high and above VWAP (confirming intraday strength).
- Stop — exit if price falls back below the opening-range low or 1.5× ATR(14) against the position.
- Time exit — flatten any open position before the closing bell.
Why add a VWAP filter
The opening-range high alone produces false breakouts on weak days. Requiring price to also be above VWAP keeps entries on the side institutional flow is leaning, filtering out many low-quality breaks.
Parameters to tune
| Parameter | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Opening range | 30m | Longer = fewer, more reliable signals |
| ATR stop | 1.5× | Intraday stops are tighter |
| Time exit | Market close | No overnight exposure |
Next steps
Backtest the ORB on intraday TSLA data in Horizon, study how the VWAP filter and time-based exit affect results, then deploy it as an automated intraday strategy.
