Hello. I've got 2 interesting trading strategies that I'd like to back test.
I'm not a programmer and the elements that I need are beyond the drop-down menu.

If you've got some time/interest, please let me know.

Thanks,
Rich

Hi Richard,

Please keep from sharing your email address on the forums (I removed it). Thanks.

If you could post here the rules of your strategies, maybe we could help you out with the code?

Hi Eugene,

Thanks re: help. Here's the first strategy:
1. Create a basket of stocks/ETF's (i.e. 10 stocks)
2. Select an original investment $$ amount (i.e., $100,000)
3. Equally allocate a $ amount into each (i.e.., $10,000)
4a.. Assign a trailing stop loss to each (i.e., 5% trailing stop loss).
5. When a stock stops, the cash proceeds are reinvested equally across ALL 10 stocks (including the one stopped out of).

4b. After running the first test, use a moving average condition rather than the trailing stop (i.e. 5-day MA crosses the 20-day MA)
4c. After running the first two, trying BOTH 4a. AND 4b. (i.e., trailing stop loss AND moving average cross

Variables to test:
- % stop loss (i.e., 2%, 5%, 8%)
- variable stop losses per security based on the underlying volatility of that security (i.e., tech has 8% stop vs consumer services 3% stop)
- cash holding period / when to reinvest (i.e., immediate, 1-day, 1-week, 2-weeks, 4-weeks)

Please let me know if you have any questions.

#5 In other words, you re-enter same stock and create 9 more positions - so the strategy is always invested (assuming holding period = immediate)?

Correct. So, if the 1 stock stopped out of yielded $9000 of cash, then you would purchase $900 of each of the original 10 stocks. If the leading stock at that point was worth $14,000, it would grow to $14,900; and the stock just stopped out of would have a value of $900.

Assume $8.00 trading costs in and out of each stock.

Here's my take at your constant readjustment. Wealth-Lab is Position-based, so you can't simply "adjust" the total position in a stock. If you would be creating 10 more positions, you'd end up with thousands 1-share sized positions very soon. One workaround used by the strategy is to exit all positions on a trailing exit event in a single stock, and re-enter them all at once:

CODE:
Please log in to see this code.

Thank you. The code is all Greek to me. With the workaround you suggested of a stop event selling ALL positions, does it purchase ALL 10 with the existing value before the stop + the (value of the stock that triggered the stop / n)?

How do I use the code to actually plug in stock symbols and run it using intraday data for 7 (or as many as available) years.

The first simple test I'd like to run has just two symbols: SPY and SH. These are the long and short symbols for the S&P index, using a 5% trailing stop loss. Here's a simple spreadsheet version if the market went straight up 20%: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ahj6H_OJvcAsdDM3T3VmeDV6UzVpcjV0NnFOMTFvYWc&usp=sharing.

Rich

QUOTE:
With the workaround you suggested of a stop event selling ALL positions, does it purchase ALL 10 with the existing value before the stop + the (value of the stock that triggered the stop / n)?

If you choose Percent Equity = 10%, the equity will be reinvested at 10% equity per new position. I assume this is what you wanted.

With MS123 PosSizer Library, more flexibility is possible with the No Profit/Loss Sharing PosSizer that models maintaining a symbol's own allocation.

yes... Percent Equity = 10%
is it possible for you and me to speak on the phone?

QUOTE:
is it possible for you and me to speak on the phone?

No.

do you have enough info to run the test?

Richard,

Let's make it clear, since I even had to remove your pushy "bump up" post made just two hours after reply #9 - and now comes the phone and running some tests for you.

Although writing custom code is not part of the support deal, as a rule we try to help the user. However, please note that we technicians are used to support a lot of Wealth-Lab users seven days a week and to work on different projects. We can not dedicate time and resources to single-user solutions, let alone making phone calls and/or doing what in fact is user's job etc.

So, I'm sure that Wealth-Lab's versatility allows to run any tests on your own -- this is probably why you've chosen the platform, right? If you have questions re: learning the basics of Wealth-Lab, please feel free to ask us on the forums.

Is there a way to use the forum to HIRE someone to write the tests?

The above code peeks into the future, since the trailing stop result is known at bar+1 (Tomorrow), but it is performing an ExitAtClose at bar (Today). Wish I could trade under those conditions!

CODE:
Please log in to see this code.

The fix: change it to "ExitAtClose(bar+1, …)" for more realistic results.

This strategy works before the fix, if you are able to influence the market to sell off, so your trailing stop triggers, therefore fulfilling the paradox. *grin*

Nice catch. Thanks Michael. Fixed the typo in my code above.