---
title: "Universes: What to Trade"
canonical: https://thestrat.ai/docs/universes/
updated: 2026-09-23
author: Alex Sopa (AlexsOptions)
source: TheStrat docs (https://thestrat.ai/docs/)
---

Tools for AI agents: https://mcp.thestrat.ai — see https://thestrat.ai/agents/

# Universes: What to Trade

By [Alex Sopa (AlexsOptions)](https://thestrat.ai/docs/alex-sopa/) · Updated September 23, 2026

**Definition** A **universe** is your trade plan: the defined list of what you trade and which signals you take on it. TheStrat works for investing, swing trading, and day trading, so the number of possible trade plans is near infinite; a universe narrows that to one list you commit to.

The rule is to choose one universe and stick to it. Only once you are proficient at creating positions in that one universe do you begin trading additional universes.

## Where to start

The starting universe is the 30-minute/60-minute signals on the Gap List, which is updated daily with new gapping stocks. It works because when gapping stocks move, they move very big, and when they do not move, the [stops](https://thestrat.ai/docs/stop-losses/) are small. See [the 30/60 gapper](https://thestrat.ai/docs/30-60-gapper/) for the setup itself.

## Expanding your universe

Once proficient at creating winning positions on the 30/60 gap list, you can add other universes. A common second universe is the intraday 60-minute [simultaneous break](https://thestrat.ai/docs/simultaneous-breaks/) on the indexes: $SPY, $QQQ, $IWM, $DIA. The most common simultaneous break in the indexes is the [inside bar](https://thestrat.ai/docs/inside-bar/).

Create positions in one universe, get your stops in profit, then look to a second or third universe for the next setups.

## The list of universes

- **30/60 gap list**: the daily-updated gapping-stock list (the starting universe).
- **60 index simultaneous break**: $SPY, $QQQ, $IWM, $DIA on the 60-minute.
- **The nightly vid**: daily [actionable signals](https://thestrat.ai/docs/actionable-signals/).
- **The weekend vid**: weekly actionable signals.
- **The macro vid**: quarterly/yearly actionable signals.
- **Strat attack**: the Tuesday night vid.
- **Sector specific**: sector simultaneous breaks.
- **Index specific**: stocks within an index.

Whichever universe supplies the ticker, the trade itself is still filtered the same way: an [actionable signal](https://thestrat.ai/docs/actionable-signals/) taken with [full timeframe continuity](https://thestrat.ai/docs/full-timeframe-continuity/).

**Related:** [30/60 Gapper](https://thestrat.ai/docs/30-60-gapper/) · [Simultaneous Breaks](https://thestrat.ai/docs/simultaneous-breaks/) · [Full Timeframe Continuity](https://thestrat.ai/docs/full-timeframe-continuity/)
**Back to:** [Actionable Signals →](https://thestrat.ai/docs/actionable-signals/)

TheStrat was developed by Rob Smith. These docs are written by Alex Sopa (AlexsOptions) and quote his teaching.