You want stocks that are "acting well", printing upward with reasonable volume, where prints on the offer move the offer, where prints on the bid don't rock the stocks, etc. Good stocks have a certain look and feel. If a fund is buying xyz, there is not way to get around putting the prints up and acquiring the stock. Tape watching shows this and should lead you acquiring the stock. Some daytraders focus in too much on market makers's moving around, changing position, which is critical, but not complete. You need to look at times/sales/quotes and how the stock reacts relative to the orders coming onto the trader's desks at the mms.