Leveraged Share Conversion IndicatorHello everyone,
Releasing my leveraged share conversion indicator.
I noticed that the option traders have all the fun and resources but the share traders don't really have many resources in terms of adjusting or profits on leveraged and inverse shares. So, I decided to change that this this indicator!
What it does:
In a nut shell, the calculator converts one share to the price of another through the use of a regression based analysis.
There are multiple pre-stored libraries available in the indicator, including IWM, SPY, BTC and QQQ.
However, if the ticker you want to convert is not in one of the pre-defined libraries, you can select "Use Alternative Ticker" and indicate the stock you wish to convert.
Using Libraries:
If the conversion you want is available in one of the libraries, simply select the conversion you would like. For example, if you want to convert SPY to SPXU, select that conversion. The indicator will then launch up the conversion results which it will display in a dashboard to the right and will also display the plotted conversion on a chart (see imagine below:
In the dashboard, the indicator will show you:
a) The conversion result: This is the most likely price based on the analysis
b) The standard error: This is the degree of error within the conversion. This is the basis of the upper and lower bands. In statistics, we can add and subtract the standard error from the likely result to get the "Upper" and "Lower" Confidence levels of assessment. This is just a fancy way of saying the range in which our predicted result will fall. So, for example, in the image above it shows you the price of SPXU is assessed to be around 16$ based on SPY's price. The standard error range is 15-17. This means that, the majority of the time, based on this SPY close price, SPXU should fall between 15-17$ with the most likely result being the 16$ range.
Why is there error?
Because leveraged shares have an inherent decay in them. The degree of decay can be captured utilizing the standard error. So at any given time, the small changes in price fluctuations caused by the fact that the share is leveraged can be assessed and displayed using standard error measurements.
c) The current correlation: This is important! Because if the stocks are not strongly correlated, it tells you there is a problem. In general, a perfect correlation is 1 or -1 (perfectly negative correlation or inverse correlation) and a bad correlation is anything under 0.5 or -0.5. So, for an INVERSE leveraged share, you would expect the correlation to read a negative value. Ideally -1. Because the inverse share is doing the opposite of the underlying (if the underlying goes up, the inverse goes down and vice versa). For a non-inverse leveraged share, the correlation should read a positive value. As the underlying goes up, so too does the leveraged.
Manual Conversion using Library:
If you are using a pre-defined library but want to convert a manual close price, simply select "Enable manual conversion" at the bottom of the settings and then type in the manual close price. If you are converting SPY to SPXU, type in the manual close price of SPY to get the result in SPXU and vice versa.
Using an Alternative Ticker:
If the ticker you want is not available in a pre-defined library (i.e. UDOW, BOIL, APPU, TSLL, etc.), simply select "Use Alternative Ticker" in the settings menu. When you select this, make sure your chart is set to the dominant chart. The "Dominant chart" is the chart of the underlying. So, if you want TSLA to TSLL, be sure you have the TSLA chart open and then set your Alternative Ticker to TSLL or TSLQ.
The process of using an Alternative Ticker remains the same. If you wish to enter a manual close price, simply select "Enable Manual Conversion".
Special Considerations:
The indicator uses 1 hour candles. Thus, please leave your dominant chart set on the 1 hour time frame to avoid confusing the indicator.
The lookback period of the manual conversion is 10, 1 hour candles. As such, the results should not be used to make longer term predictions (i.e. anything over 6 months is pushing the capabilities of a manual conversion but fair game for the pre-defined library conversions which use more longer-term data).
You can technically use the indicator to make assessments between 2 separate equities. For example, the relationship between QQQ and ARKK, SPY and DIA, IWM and SPY, etc. If there is a good enough correlation, you can use it to make predictions of the opposing ticker. For example, if DIA goes to 340, what would SPY likely do? And vice versa.
As always, I have prepared a tutorial and getting started video for your reference:
As always, let me know your questions and requests/recommendations for the indicator below. This indicator is my final reference indicator in my 3 part reference indicator release. I will be going back over the feedback to make improvements based on the suggestions I have received. So please feel free to leave any suggestions here and I will take them into consideration for improvement!
Thank you for checking this out and as always, safe trades!
Cari dalam skrip untuk "spy"
Price Correction to fix data manipulation and mispricingPrice Correction corrects for index and security mispricing to the extent possible in TradingView on both daily and intraday charts. Price correction addresses mispricing issues for specific securities with known issues, or the user can build daily candles from intraday data instead of relying on exchange reported daily OHLC prices, which can include both legitimate special auction and off-exchange trades or illegitimate mispricing. The user can also detect daily OHLC prices that don’t reflect the intraday price action within a specified percent deviation. Price Correction functions as normal candles or bars for any time frame when correction is not needed.
On the 4th of October 2022, the AMEX exchange, owned by the New York Stock Exchange, decided to misprice the daily OHLC data for the SPY, the world’s largest ETF fund. The exchange eliminated the overnight gap that should have occurred in the daily chart that represents regular trading hours by showing a wick connecting near the close of the previous day. Neither the SPX, the SP500 cash index that the SPY ETF tracks, nor other SPX ETFs such as VOO or IVV show such a wick because significant price action at that level never occurred. The intraday SPY chart never shows the price drop below 372.31 that day, but there is a wick that extends to 366.57. On the 6th of October, they continued this practice of using a wick that connects with the close of the previous day to eliminate gaps in daily price action. The objective of this indicator is to fix such inconsistent mispricing practices in the SPY, NYA, and other indices or securities.
Price Correction corrects for the daily mispricing in the SPY to agree with the price action that actually occurred in the SPX index it tracks, as well as the other SPX ETFs, by using intraday data. The chart below compares the Price Correction of the SPY (top) to the SPX (middle) and the original mispriced SPY (bottom) with incorrect wicks. Price correction (top) removes those incorrect wicks (bottom) to match the SPX (middle).
The daily mispricing of the SPY follows after the successful deployment of the NYSE Composite Index mispricing, NYA, an index that represents all common stocks within the New York Stock Exchange, the largest exchange in the world. The importance of the NYA should not be understated. It is the price counterpart to NYSE’s market internals or statistics. Beginning in 2021, the New York Stock Exchange eliminated gaps in daily OHLC data for the NYA by using the close of the previous day as the open for the following day, in violation of their own NYSE Index Series Methodology. The Methodology states for the opening price that “The first index level is calculated and published around 09:30 ET, when the U.S. equity markets open for their regular trading session. The calculation of that level utilizes the most updated prices available at that moment.” You can verify for yourself that this is simply not the case. The first update of the NYA price for each day matches the close of the previous day, not the “most updated prices available at that moment”, causing data providers to often represent the first intraday bar with a huge sudden price change when an overnight price change occurred instead. For example, on 13 Jun 2022, TradingView shows a one-minute bar drop 2.3%. With a market capitalization of roughly 23 trillion dollars, the NYSE composite capitalization did not suddenly drop a half-trillion dollars in just one minute as the intraday chart data would have you believe. All major US indices, index ETFs, and even foreign indices like the Toronto TAX, the Australian ASXAL, the Bombay SENSEX, and German DAX had down gaps that day, except for the mispriced NYSE index. Price Correction corrects for this mispricing in daily OHLC data, as shown in the main chart at the top of this page comparing the original NYA (top) to the Price Corrected NYA (bottom).
Price Correction also corrects for the intraday mispricing in the NYA. The chart below shows how the Price Correction (top) replaces the incorrect first one-minute candles with gaps (bottom) from 22 Sep 2022 to 29 Sep 2022. TradingView is inconsistent in how intraday data is reported for overnight gaps by sometimes connecting the first intraday bar of the day to the close of the previous day, and other times not. This inconsistency may be due to manually changing the intraday data based on user support tickets. For example, after reporting the lack of a major gap in the NYA daily OHLC prices that existed intraday for 13 Jun 2022, TradingView opted to remove the true gap in intraday prices by creating a 2.3% half-a-trillion-dollar one-minute bar that connected the close of the previous day to show a sudden drop in price that didn’t occur, instead of adding the gap in the daily OHLC data that actually took place from overnight price action.
Price Correction allows users to detect daily OHLC data that does not reflect the intraday price action within a certain percent difference by changing the color of those candles or bars that deviate. The chart below clearly shows the start of the NYSE disinformation campaign for NYA that started in 2021 by painting blue those candles with daily OHLC values that deviated from the intraday values by 0.1%. Before 2021, the number of deviating candles is relatively sparse, but beginning in 2021, the chart is littered with deviating candles.
If there are other index or security mispricing or data issues you are aware of that can be incorporated into Price Correction, please let me know. Accurate financial data is indispensable in making accurate financial decisions. Assert your right to accurate financial data by reporting incorrect data and mispricing issues.
How to use the Price Correction
Simply add this “indicator” to your chart and remove the mispriced default candles or bars by right clicking on the chart, selecting Settings, and de-selecting Body, Wick, and Border under the Symbol tab. The Presets settings automatically takes care of mispricing in the NYA and SPY to the extent possible in TradingView. The user can also build their own daily candles based off of intraday data to address other securities that may have mispricing issues.
Relative Strength Screener V2 - Top 100 volume leadersNew and improved strength heatmap for the top 100 volume leaders in the S&P. Coded in a workaround to the 40 request.security limitation that currently exists in Pine. Added the ability to input the number of columns (time frames) you wish to display.
For 3 time frame analysis, add the indicator to your chart 3 times. Change the number of columns to 3 for each of these indicators. Specify the column and time frame for each one (example, 5 minute for column 1, 1 hour for column 2 and Daily chart for column 3). It will automatically resize the columns/tables to properly display the output. This provides a sort of "Strength Heatmap" for the top 100 stocks in the S&P. To achieve this, make a copy of the indicator and substitute lines 68-105 with the following premade watchlists :
Make a copy 1 - FIrst 38 volume leaders in the S&P
s01 = input.symbol('AAPL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's01')
s02 = input.symbol('ABBV', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's02')
s03 = input.symbol('ABT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's03')
s04 = input.symbol('ACN', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's04')
s05 = input.symbol('AEP', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's05')
s06 = input.symbol('AIG', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's06')
s07 = input.symbol('AMAT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's07')
s08 = input.symbol('AMD', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's08')
s09 = input.symbol('APA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's09')
s10 = input.symbol('ATVI', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's10')
s11 = input.symbol('AXP', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's11')
s12 = input.symbol('BA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's12')
s13 = input.symbol('BBWI', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's13')
s14 = input.symbol('BBY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's14')
s15 = input.symbol('BK', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's15')
s16 = input.symbol('BMY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's16')
s17 = input.symbol('BRK.B', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's17')
s18 = input.symbol('C', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's18')
s19 = input.symbol('CAT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's19')
s20 = input.symbol('CCL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's20')
s21 = input.symbol('CFG', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's21')
s22 = input.symbol('CL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's22')
s23 = input.symbol('CNC', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's23')
s24 = input.symbol('COF', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's24')
s25 = input.symbol('COP', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's25')
s26 = input.symbol('COST', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's26')
s27 = input.symbol('CRM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's27')
s28 = input.symbol('CVS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's28')
s29 = input.symbol('CVX', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's29')
s30 = input.symbol('DAL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's30')
s31 = input.symbol('DIS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's31')
s32 = input.symbol('DISCA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's32')
s33 = input.symbol('DISCK', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's33')
s34 = input.symbol('DISH', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's34')
s35 = input.symbol('DLTR', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's35')
s36 = input.symbol('DOW', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's36')
s37 = input.symbol('DVN', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's37')
s38 = input.symbol('EBAY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's38')
Make a copy 2 - Tickers 39 to 76
s01 = input.symbol('EOG', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's01')
s02 = input.symbol('F', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's02')
s03 = input.symbol('FB', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's03')
s04 = input.symbol('FCX', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's04')
s05 = input.symbol('FIS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's05')
s06 = input.symbol('GE', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's06')
s07 = input.symbol('GIS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's07')
s08 = input.symbol('GM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's08')
s09 = input.symbol('GS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's09')
s10 = input.symbol('HD', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's10')
s11 = input.symbol('IBM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's11')
s12 = input.symbol('INTC', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's12')
s13 = input.symbol('JNJ', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's13')
s14 = input.symbol('JPM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's14')
s15 = input.symbol('KR', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's15')
s16 = input.symbol('LUV', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's16')
s17 = input.symbol('LVS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's17')
s18 = input.symbol('MA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's18')
s19 = input.symbol('MCD', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's19')
s20 = input.symbol('MCHP', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's20')
s21 = input.symbol('MDT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's21')
s22 = input.symbol('MET', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's22')
s23 = input.symbol('MGM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's23')
s24 = input.symbol('MOS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's24')
s25 = input.symbol('MPC', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's25')
s26 = input.symbol('MRK', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's26')
s27 = input.symbol('MRNA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's27')
s28 = input.symbol('MS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's28')
s29 = input.symbol('MSFT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's29')
s30 = input.symbol('MU', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's30')
s31 = input.symbol('NCLH', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's31')
s32 = input.symbol('NEE', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's32')
s33 = input.symbol('NEM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's33')
s34 = input.symbol('NFLX', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's34')
s35 = input.symbol('NKE', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's35')
s36 = input.symbol('NVDA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's36')
s37 = input.symbol('ORCL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's37')
s38 = input.symbol('OXY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's38')
Make a copy 3 - tickers 77 to 114
s01 = input.symbol('PENN', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's01')
s02 = input.symbol('PEP', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's02')
s03 = input.symbol('PFE', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's03')
s04 = input.symbol('PG', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's04')
s05 = input.symbol('PM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's05')
s06 = input.symbol('PYPL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's06')
s07 = input.symbol('QCOM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's07')
s08 = input.symbol('RTX', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's08')
s09 = input.symbol('SBUX', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's09')
s10 = input.symbol('SCHW', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's10')
s11 = input.symbol('SLB', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's11')
s12 = input.symbol('SYF', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's12')
s13 = input.symbol('T', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's13')
s14 = input.symbol('TFC', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's14')
s15 = input.symbol('TGT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's15')
s16 = input.symbol('TJX', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's16')
s17 = input.symbol('TMUS', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's17')
s18 = input.symbol('TSLA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's18')
s19 = input.symbol('TWTR', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's19')
s20 = input.symbol('TXN', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's20')
s21 = input.symbol('UAL', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's21')
s22 = input.symbol('UNH', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's22')
s23 = input.symbol('V', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's23')
s24 = input.symbol('VIAC', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's24')
s25 = input.symbol('WBA', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's25')
s26 = input.symbol('WFC', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's26')
s27 = input.symbol('WMT', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's27')
s28 = input.symbol('WYNN', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's28')
s29 = input.symbol('XOM', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's29')
s30 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's30')
s31 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's31')
s32 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's32')
s33 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's33')
s34 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's34')
s35 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's35')
s36 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's36')
s37 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's37')
s38 = input.symbol('SPY', group = 'Symbols', inline = 's38')
Z-Score Probability IndicatorThis is the Z-Score Probability indicator. As many people like my original Z-Score indicator and have expressed more interest in the powers of the Z, I decided to make this indicator which shows additional powers of the Z-Score.
Z-Score is not only useful for measuring a ticker or any other variable’s distance from the mean, it is also useful to calculate general probability in a normal distribution set. Not only can it calculate probability in a dataset, but it can also calculate the variables within said dataset by using the Standard Deviation and the Mean of the dataset.
Using these 2 aspects of the Z-Score, you can, In principle, have an indicator that operates similar to Fibonacci retracement levels with the added bonus of being able to actually ascertain the realistic probability of said retracement.
Let’s take a look at an example:
This is a chart showing SPY on the daily timeframe. If we look at the current Z-Score level, we can see that SPY is pushing into the 2 to 3 Z-Score range. We can see two things from this:
1. We can see that a retracement to a Z-Score of 2 would correspond to a price of 425.26 based on the current dataset. And
2. We can see that the probability that SPY retraces to a Z-Score of 2 is around 0.9800 or 98%.
To take it one step further, we can look at the various other variables in the distribution. If we were to bet on SPY retracing back to -1 SDs, that would correspond to a price of around 397.15, with a probability of around 0.1600 or 16% (see image below):
Let’s say, we thought SPY would go to $440. Well, we can see that the probability SPY goes to 434.64 currently is pretty low. How do we know? Because the Z-Score table shows us the probability of values falling BELOW that Z-score level in the current distribution. So if we look at this example below:
We can see that 0.9998 or roughly 99% of values in the current SPY distribution will fall below 434.64. Thus, it may be unrealistic, at this point in time, to target said value.
So what is a Z-Score Table?
Well, I need to disclose/clarify that the Z-Score Table being displayed in this indicator does Z-Score probability a HUGE injustice. However, with the constraints what is realistic to fit into an indicator, I had to make it far more succinct. Let’s take a look at an actual Z-Score Table below:
Above is a look an the actual Z-Score table. How it works is you first identify you’re Z-Score and then find the corresponding value that relates to your score. The number displayed in the dataset represents the number of variables in the dataset/density distribution that fall BELOW that particular Z-score.
So, for example, if we have a Z-Score of -2.31, we can consult that table, go to the -2.3 then scroll across to the 0.01 to represent -2.31. We would see that this Z-Score corresponds to a 0.0104 probability zone (or essentially 1%) indicating that the majority of the variables in the distribution fall below that mean Z-score. In terms of tickers and stocks, that would mean it would theoretically be “overbought”.
So what does the indicator Z-Table tell us?
I have averaged out the data for the purposes of this indicator. However, you can also reference a manual Z-Table to get the exact probability for the current precise Z-Score. However, the reality is it doesn’t necessarily matter to be exact when it comes to tickers. The reason being, ticker’s are in constant flux, and by the time you identify that probability, the ticker will already be at a different level. So generalizations are okay in these circumstances, you just need to get the “gist” of where the distribution lies.
So how do I use the indicator?
Using the indicator is pretty straightforward. Once launched, you will see the current Z-Score of the ticker, the current levels based on the distribution and the summarized Z-Table.
The Z-Table will turn gray to indicate the zone the ticker is currently in. In this case, we can see that SPY currently is in the 2 SD Zone, meaning that 0.98 or 98% of the current dataset being shown falls below the price we are at:
When we launch the settings, we can see a few inputs.
Lookback Length: This determines the number of candles back we want to calculate the distribution for. It is defaulted to 75, but you can adjust it to whichever length you want.
SMA Length: The SMA is optional but defaults to on. If you want to see the smoothed trend of the Z-Score, this will do the trick. It does not need to be set to the same
length as the Z-Score lookback. Thus, if you want a more or less responsive SMA with, say, a larger dataset, then you can reduce the SMA length yourself.
Distribution Probability Fills: This simply colour codes the distribution zones / probability zones on the indicator.
Show Z-Table: This will display the summarized Z-Table.
Show SMA: As I indicated, the SMA is optional, you can toggle it on or off to see the overall Z-Score trend.
Concluding Remarks:
And that my friends is the Z-Score Probability Indicator.
I hope you all enjoy it and find it helpful. As always leave your comments, questions and suggestions below.
Safe trades to all and take care!
TASC 2022.08 Trading The Fear Index█ OVERVIEW
TASC's August 2022 edition of Traders' Tips includes an article by Markos Katsanos titled "Trading The Fear Index". This script implements a trading strategy called the “daily long/short trading system for volatility ETFs” presented in this article.
█ CONCEPTS
This long-term strategy aims to capitalize on stock market volatility by using exchange-traded funds (ETFs or ETNs) linked to the VIX index.
The strategy rules (see below) are based on a combination of the movement of the Cboe VIX index, the readings of the stochastic oscillator applied to the SPY ETF relative to the VIX, and a custom indicator presented in the article and called the correlation trend . Thus, they are not based on the price movement of the traded ETF itself, but rather on the movement of the VIX and of the S&P 500 index. This allows the strategy to capture most of the spikes in volatility while profiting from the long-term time decay of the traded ETFs.
█ STRATEGY RULES
Long rules
Rising volatility: The VIX should rise by more than 50% in the last 6 days.
Trend: The correlation trend of the VIX should be 0.8 or higher and also higher than yesterday's value.
VIX-SPY relative position: The 25-day and 10-day VIX stochastics should be above the 25-day and 10-day SPY stochastics respectively. In addition, the 10-day stochastic of the VIX should be above its yesterday's value.
Long positions are closed if the 10-day stochastic of the SPY rises above the 10-day stochastic of the VIX or falls below the yesterday's value.
Short rules
Declining volatility: The VIX should drop over 20% in the last 6 days and should be down during the last 3 days.
VIX threshold: The VIX should spend less than 35% of time below 15.
VIX-SPY relative position: The 10-day VIX stochastic should be below the 10-day SPY stochastic. In addition, the 10-day SPY stochastic should be higher than the yesterday's value.
Long positions are closed if the first two Long rules are triggered (Rising volatility and Trend).
The script allows you to display the readings of the indicators used in the strategy rules in the form of oscillator time series (as in the preview chart) and/or in the form of a table.
Cross Correlation [Kioseff Trading]Hello!
This script "Cross Correlation" calculates up to ~10,000 lag-symbol pair cross correlation values simultaneously!
Cross correlation calculation for 20 symbols simultaneously
+/- Lag Range is theoretically infinite (configurable min/max)
Practically, calculate up to 10000 lag-symbol pairs
Results can be sorted by greatest absolute difference or greatest sum
Ability to "isolate" the symbol on your chart and check for cross correlation against a list of symbols
Script defaults to stock pairs when on a stock, Forex pairs when on a Forex pair, crypto when on a crypto coin, futures when on a futures contract.
A custom symbol list can be used for cross correlation checking
Can check any number of available historical data points for cross correlation
Practical Assessment
Ideally, we can calculate cross correlation to determine if, in a list of assets, any of the assets frequently lead or lag one another.
Example
Say we are comparing the log returns for the previous 10 days for SPY and XLU.
*A single time-interval corresponds to the timeframe of your chart i.e. 1-minute chart = 1-minute time interval. We're using days for this example.
(Example Results)
A lag value (k) +/-3 is used.
The cross correlation (normalized) for k = +3 is -0.787
The cross correlation (normalized) for k = -3 is 0.216
A positive "k" value indicates the correlation when Asset A (SPY) leads Asset B (XLU)
A negative "k" value indicates the correlation when Asset B (XLU) leads Asset A (SPY)
A normalized cross correlation of -0.787 for k = +3 indicates an "adequately strong" negative relationship when SPY leads XLU by 3 days.
When SPY increases or decreases - XLU frequently moves in the opposite direction 3 days later.
A cross correlation value of 0.216 at k = −3 indicates a "weak" positive correlation when XLU leads SPY by 3 days.
There's a slight tendency for SPY to move in the same direction as XLU 3 days later.
After the cross-correlation score is normalized it will fall between -1 and 1.
A cross-correlation score of 1 indicates a perfect directional relationship between asset A and asset B at the corresponding lag (k).
A cross correlation of -1 indicates a perfect inverse relationship between asset A and asset B at the corresponding lag (k).
A cross correlation of 0 indicates no correlation at the corresponding lag (k).
The image above shows the primary usage for the script!
The image above further explains the data points located in the table!
The image above shows the script "isolating" the symbol on my chart and checking the cross correlation between the symbol and a list of symbols!
Wrapping Up
With this information, hopefully you can find some meaningful lead-lag relationships amongst assets!
Thank you for checking this out (:
relative performanceThis indicator is built to mesure the performance of a stock vs the index of choice. it is best use for the intraday session because it doesn't take gap into account when doing the calculation. This is how i made my math (using AAPL compared to SPY for simplicity)
(change AAPL / ATR AAPL) - (change SPY / ATR SPY) * beta factor * volume factor
change is calculated open to close for each candle instead of close to close. this is why gap does not affect the calculation
blue columns is an instant snap shot of the RP
red and green columns is the moving average of the blue columns
limit is the max value for the blue line when ploting them on the chart but doesn't affect the calculation
option:
indice: default with SPY but could use any stock
moving average choice: let you choose between EMA or SMA green and red columns
rolling average length : number of bar for the moving average
I made an auto adjust for the 5 min chart and the 2 min chart so you can swithc between both chart and have the same average (default value set to 6x 5min and 15x 2 min, giving you the average of the last 30min)
volume weighing let you choose if you want a volume factor or not. volume factor is only going to multiplie the result of the price move. it cannot move it from positive to negative.
this is the calculation
(volume AAPL / volume SMA AAPL) / (volume SPY / volume sma SPY)
meaning that a higher volume on the thicker compared to it's sma while having a lower volume on SPY will give you a big relative performance.
you can choose the number of bar in the average for the volume.
BETA factor work the same way that the volume factor does. you got to manualy enter your beta. default is set to 1.5
table
top line : blue square is you RP value (same has the blue columns bar) and your reference thicker
middle line : pourcentage move from the open (9:30 open) for your stock on the left and the reference on the right
bottom line : beta on the left and volume factor on the right
feel free to ask question or give modification idea!
Copy/Paste LevelsCopy/Paste Levels allows levels to be pasted onto your chart from a properly formatted source.
This tool streamlines the process of adding lines to your chart, and sharing lines from your chart.
More than one ticker at a time!
This indicator will only draw lines on charts it has values for!
This means you can input levels for every ticker you need all at once, one time, and only be displayed the levels for the current chart you are looking at. When you switch tickers, the levels for that ticker will display. (Assuming you have levels entered for that ticker)
The formatting is as follows:
Ticker,Color,Style,Width,Lvl1,Lvl2,Lvl3;
Ticker - Any ticker on Tradingview can be used in the field
Color - Available colors are: Red,Orange,Yellow,Green,Blue,Purple,White,Black,Gray
Style - Available styles are: Solid,Dashed,Dotted
Width - This can be any negative integer, ex.(-1,-2,-3,-4,-5)
Lvls - These can be any positive number (decimals allowed)
Semi-Colons separate sections, each section contains enough information to create at least 1 line.
Each additional level added within the same section will have the same styling parameters as the other levels in the section.
Example:
2 solid lines colored red with a thickness of 2 on QQQ, 1 at $300 and 1 at $400.
QQQ,RED,SOLID,-2,300,400;
IMPORTANT MUST READ!!!
Remember to not include any spaces between commas and the entries in each field!
ex. ; QQQ, red, dotted, -1, 325; <- Wrong
ex. ;QQQ,red,dotted,-1,325;)<- Right
However,
All fields must be filled out, to use default values in the fields, insert a space between the commas.
ex. ;QQQ,red,dotted,,325; <- Wrong
ex. ;QQQ,red,dotted, ,325; <- Right
While spaces can not be included line breaks can!
I recommend for easier typing and viewing to include a line break for each new line (if changing styling or ticker)
Example:
2 solid lines, one red at $300, one green at $400, both default width. Written in a single line AND using multiple lines, both give the same output.
QQQ,red,solid, ,300;QQQ,green,solid, ,400;
or
QQQ,red,solid, ,300;
QQQ,green,solid, ,400;
In this following screenshot you can see more examples of different formatting variations.
The textbox contains exactly what is pasted into the settings input box.
As you can see, capitalization does not matter.
Default Values:
Color = optimal contrast color, If this field is filled in with a space it will display the optimal contrast color of the users background.
Style = solid
Width = -1
More Examples:
Multi-Ticker: drawing 3 lines at $300, all default values, on 3 different tickers
SPY, , , ,300;QQQ, , , ,300;AAPL, , , ,300
or
SPY, , , ,300;
QQQ, , , ,300;
AAPL, , , ,300
Multiple levels: There is no limit* to the number of levels that can be included within 1 section.
* only TV default line limit per indicator (500)
This will be 4 lines all with the same styling at different values on 2 separate tickers.
SPY,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;QQQ,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400
or
SPY,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;
QQQ,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400
Semi-colons must separate sections, but are not required at the beginning or end, it makes no difference if they are or are not added.
SPY,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;
QQQ,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400
==
SPY,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;
QQQ,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;
==
;SPY,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;
QQQ,BLUE,SOLID,-2,100,200,300,400;
All the above output the same results.
Hope this is helpful for people,
Enjoy!
MARKET CONDITIONS TOOLBOX PROMARKET CONDITIONS TOOLBOX PRO** is a visual market-state dashboard designed to summarize multiple technical conditions of the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in a single table.
The script pulls SPY data from user-selectable higher timeframes (daily by default) and evaluates several widely used technical indicators, converting each into a simple **Bullish / Neutral / Bearish** status. The results are displayed in a compact table for quick reference.
Indicators included:
-Directional Strength (based on directional movement)
-MACD (positive vs. negative momentum)
-RSI (above or below midpoint)
-Stochastic Oscillator
-CCI
-Momentum Velocity (custom weighted momentum calculation)
-SPY daily candle direction (green/red/neutral)
Each indicator is assessed independently using objective threshold rules (for example, above or below zero or 50). No indicator is modified to repaint or look ahead.
An overall Market Condition is shown:
-Bullish when all indicators and the SPY daily candle align positively
-Bearish* when all indicators and the SPY daily candle align negatively
-Neutral when conditions are mixed
A simplified -Risk Status- (“Risk On”, “Risk Off”, or “Neutral”) mirrors this alignment to provide a high-level market context.
Key characteristics:
-Uses SPY as a broad market proxy
-Multi-timeframe capable via user inputs
-Non-predictive, informational display only
-No alerts, trade entries, exits, or signals
-Designed for market context, not automation
I use this tool really to gauge risk, when i'm paying with the direction of the market, when to risk off.
RiskCraft - Advanced Risk Management SystemRiskCraft – Risk Intelligence Dashboard
Trade like you actually respect risk
"I know the setup looks good… but how much am I actually risking right now?"
RiskCraft is an open-source Pine Script v6 indicator that keeps risk transparent directly on the chart. It is not a signal generator; it is a risk desk that calculates size, frames volatility, and reminds you when your behaviour drifts away from the plan.
Core utilities
Calculates professional-style position sizing in real time.
Reads volatility and market regime before position size is confirmed.
Adjusts risk based on the trader’s emotional state and confidence inputs.
Maps session risk across Asian, London, and New York hours.
Draws exactly one stop line and one target line in the preferred direction.
Provides rotating education tips plus contextual warnings when risk escalates.
It is intentionally conservative and keeps you in the game long enough for any separate entry logic to matter.
---
Chart layout checklist
Use a clean chart on a liquid symbol (e.g., AMEX:SPY or major FX pairs).
Main RiskCraft dashboard placed on the right edge.
Session Risk box on the left with UTC time visible.
Floating risk badge above price.
Stop/target guide lines enabled.
Education panel visible in the bottom-right corner.
---
1. On-chart components
Right-side dashboard : account risk %, position size/value, stop, target, risk/reward, regime, trend strength, emotional state, behavioural score, correlation, and preferred trade direction.
Session Risk box : highlights active session (Asian, London, NY), current UTC time, and risk label (High/Med/Low) per session.
Floating risk badge : keeps actual account risk percent visible with colour-coded wording from Ultra Cautious to Very Aggressive.
Stop/target lines : exactly one dashed stop and one dashed target aligned with the preferred bias.
Education panel : rotates core principles and AI-style warnings tied to volatility, risk %, and behaviour flags.
---
2. Volatility engine – ATR with context 📈
atr = ta.atr(atrLength)
atrPercent = (atr / close) * 100
atrSMA = ta.sma(atr, atrLength)
volatilityRatio = atr / atrSMA
isHighVol = volatilityRatio > volThreshold
ATR vs ATR SMA shows how wild price is relative to recent history.
Volatility ratio above the threshold flips isHighVol , which immediately trims risk.
An ATR percentile rank over the last 100 bars indicates calm versus chaotic regimes.
Daily ATR sampling via request.security() gives higher time-frame context for intraday sessions.
When volatility spikes the script dials position size down automatically instead of cheering for maximum exposure.
---
3. Market regime radar – Danger or Drift 🌊
ema20 = ta.ema(close, 20)
ema50 = ta.ema(close, 50)
ema200 = ta.ema(close, 200)
trendScore = (close > ema20 ? 1 : -1) +
(ema20 > ema50 ? 1 : -1) +
(ema50 > ema200 ? 1 : -1)
= ta.dmi(14, 14)
Regimes covered:
Danger : high volatility with weak trend.
Volatile : volatility elevated but structure still directional.
Choppy : low ADX and noisy action.
Trending : directional flows without extreme volatility.
Mixed : anything between.
Each regime maps to a 1–10 risk score and a multiplier that feeds the final position size. Danger and Choppy clamp size; Trending restores normal risk.
---
4. Behaviour engine – trader inputs matter 🧠
You provide:
Emotional state : Confident, Neutral, FOMO, Revenge, Fearful.
Confidence : slider from 1 to 10.
Toggle for behavioural adjustment on/off.
Behind the scenes:
Each state triggers an emotional multiplier .
Confidence produces a confidence multiplier .
Combined they form behavioralFactor and a 0–100 Behavioural Score .
High-risk emotions or low conviction clamp the final risk. Calm inputs allow normal size. The dashboard prints both fields to keep accountability on-screen.
---
5. Correlation guardrail – avoid stacking identical risk 📊
Optional correlation mode compares the active symbol to a reference (default AMEX:SPY ):
corrClose = request.security(correlationSymbol, timeframe.period, close)
priceReturn = ta.change(close) / close
corrReturn = ta.change(corrClose) / corrClose
correlation = calcCorrelation()
Absolute correlation above the threshold applies a correlation multiplier (< 1) to reduce size.
Dashboard row shows the live correlation and reference ticker.
When disabled, the row simply echoes the current symbol, keeping the table readable.
---
6. Position sizing engine – heart of the script 💰
baseRiskAmount = accountSize * (baseRiskPercent / 100)
adjustedRisk = baseRiskAmount * behavioralFactor *
regimeAdjustment * volAdjustment *
correlationAdjustment
finalRiskAmount = math.min(adjustedRisk,
accountSize * (maxRiskCap / 100))
stopDistance = atr * atrStopMultiplier
takeProfit = atr * atrTargetMultiplier
positionSize = stopDistance > 0 ? finalRiskAmount / stopDistance : 0
positionValue = positionSize * close
Outputs shown on the dashboard:
Position size in units and value in currency.
Actual risk % back on account after adjustments.
Risk/Reward derived from ATR-based stop and target.
---
7. Intelligent trade direction – bias without signals 🎯
Direction score ingredients:
EMA stack alignment.
Price versus EMA20.
RSI momentum relative to 50.
MACD line vs signal.
Directional Movement (DI+/DI–).
The resulting Trade Direction row prints LONG, SHORT, or NEUTRAL. No orders are generated—this is guidance so you only risk capital when the structure supports it.
---
8. Stop/target guide lines – two lines only ✂️
if showStopLines
if preferLong
// long stop below, target above
else if preferShort
// short stop above, target below
Lines refresh each bar to keep clutter low.
When the direction score is neutral, no lines appear.
Use them as visual anchors, not auto-orders.
---
9. Session Risk map – global volatility clock 🌍
Tracks Asian, London, and New York windows via UTC.
Computes average ATR per session versus global ATR SMA.
Labels each session High/Med/Low and colours the cells accordingly.
Top row shows the active session plus current UTC time so you always know the regime you are trading.
One glance tells you whether you are trading quiet drift or the part of the day that hunts stops.
---
10. Floating risk badge – honesty above price 🪪
Text ranges from Ultra Cautious through Very Aggressive.
Colour matches the risk palette inputs (High/Med/Low).
Updates on the last bar only, keeping historical clutter off the chart.
Account risk becomes impossible to ignore while you stare at price.
---
11. Education engine & warnings 📚
Rotates evergreen principles (risk 1–2%, journal trades, respect plan).
Triggers contextual warnings when volatility and risk % conflict.
Flags when emotional state = FOMO or Revenge.
Highlights sub-standard risk/reward setups.
When multiple danger flags stack, an AI-style warning overrides the tip text so you can course-correct before capital is exposed.
---
12. Alerts – hard guard rails 🚨
Excessive Risk Alert : actual risk % crosses custom threshold.
High Volatility Alert : ATR behaviour signals danger regime.
Emotional State Warning : FOMO or Revenge selected.
Poor Risk/Reward Alert : risk/reward drops below your standard.
All alerts reinforce discipline; none suggest entries or exits.
---
13. Multi-market behaviour 🕒
Intraday (1m–1h): session box and badge react quickly; ideal for scalpers needing constant risk context.
Higher time frames (1D–1W): dashboard shifts slowly, supporting swing planning.
Asset classes confirmed in validation: crypto majors, large-cap equities, indices, major FX pairs, and liquid commodities.
Risk logic is price-based, so it adapts across markets without bespoke tuning.
15. Key inputs & recommended defaults
Account Size : 10,000 (modify to match actual account; min 100).
Base Risk % : 1.0 with a Maximum Risk Cap of 2.5%.
ATR Period : 14, Stop Multiplier 2.0, Target Multiplier 3.0.
High Vol Threshold : 1.5 for ATR ratio.
Behavioural Adjustment : enabled by default; disable for fixed risk.
Correlation Check : optional; default symbol AMEX:SPY , threshold 0.7.
Display toggles : main dashboard, risk badge, session map, education panel, and stop lines can be individually disabled to reduce clutter.
16. Usage notes & limits
Indicator mode only; no automated entries or exits.
Trade history panel intentionally disabled (requires strategy context).
Correlation analysis depends on additional data requests and may lag slightly on illiquid symbols.
Session timing uses UTC; adjust expectations if you trade localized instruments.
HTF ATR sampling uses daily data, so bar replay on lower charts may show brief data gaps while HTF loads.
What does everyone think RISK really means?
Triad Macro Gauge__________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
__________________________________________________________________________________
The Triad Macro Gauge (TMG) is designed to provide traders with a comprehensive view of the macroeconomic environment impacting financial markets. By synthesizing three critical market signals— VIX (volatility) , Credit Spreads (credit risk) , and the Stocks/Bonds Ratio (SPY/TLT) —this indicator offers a probabilistic assessment of market sentiment, helping traders identify bullish or bearish macro conditions.
Holistic Macro Analysis: Combines three distinct macroeconomic indicators for multi-dimensional insights.
Customization & Flexibility: Adjust weights, thresholds, lookback periods, and visualization styles.
Visual Clarity: Dynamic table, color-coded plots, and anomaly markers for quick interpretation.
Fully Consistent Scores: Identical values across all timeframes (4H, daily, weekly).
Actionable Signals: Clear bull/bear thresholds and volatility spike detection.
Optimized for timeframes ranging from 4 hour to 1 week , the TMG equips swing traders and long-term investors with a robust tool to navigate macroeconomic trends.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Key Indicators
__________________________________________________________________________________
VIX (CBOE:VIX): Measures market volatility (negatively weighted for bearish signals).
Credit Spreads (FRED:BAMLH0A0HYM2EY): Tracks high-yield bond spreads (negatively weighted).
Stocks/Bonds Ratio (SPY/TLT): Evaluates equity sentiment relative to treasuries (positively weighted).
__________________________________________________________________________________
Originality and Purpose
__________________________________________________________________________________
The TMG stands out by combining VIX, Credit Spreads, and SPY/TLT into a single, cohesive indicator. Its unique strength lies in its fully consistent scores across all timeframes, a critical feature for multi-timeframe analysis.
Purpose: To empower traders with a clear, actionable tool to:
Assess macro conditions
Spot market extremes
Anticipate reversals
__________________________________________________________________________________
How It Works
__________________________________________________________________________________
VIX Z-Score: Measures volatility deviations (inverted for bearish signals).
Credit Z-Score: Tracks credit spread deviations (inverted for bearish signals).
Ratio Z-Score: Assesses SPY/TLT strength (positively weighted for bullish signals).
TMG Score: Weighted composite of z-scores (bullish > +0.30, bearish < -0.30).
Anomaly Detection: Identifies extreme volatility spikes (z-score > 3.0).
All calculations are performed using daily data, ensuring that scores remain consistent across all chart timeframes.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Visualization & Interpretation
__________________________________________________________________________________
The script visualizes data through:
A dynamic table displaying TMG Score , VIX Z, Credit Z, Ratio Z, and Anomaly status, with color gradients (green for positive, red for negative, gray for neutral/N/A).
A plotted TMG Score in Area, Histogram, or Line mode , with adaptive opacity for clarity.
Bull/Bear thresholds as horizontal lines (+0.30/-0.30) to signal market conditions.
Anomaly markers (orange circles) for volatility spikes.
Crossover signals (triangles) for bull/bear threshold crossings.
The table provides an immediate snapshot of macro conditions, while the plot offers a visual trend analysis. All values are consistent across timeframes, simplifying multi-timeframe analysis.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Script Parameters
__________________________________________________________________________________
Extensive customization options:
Symbol Selection: Customize VIX, Credit Spreads, SPY, TLT symbols
Core Parameters: Adjust lookback periods, weights, smoothing
Anomaly Detection: Enable/disable with custom thresholds
Visual Style: Choose display modes and colors
__________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion
__________________________________________________________________________________
The Triad Macro Gauge by Ox_kali is a cutting-edge tool for analyzing macroeconomic trends. By integrating VIX, Credit Spreads, and SPY/TLT, TMG provides traders with a clear, consistent, and actionable gauge of market sentiment.
Recommended for: Swing traders and long-term investors seeking to navigate macro-driven markets.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Credit & Inspiration
__________________________________________________________________________________
Special thanks to Caleb Franzen for his pioneering work on macroeconomic indicator blends – his research directly inspired the core framework of this tool.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Notes & Disclaimer
__________________________________________________________________________________
This is the initial public release (v2.5.9). Future updates may include additional features based on user feedback.
Please note that the Triad Macro Gauge is not a guarantee of future market performance and should be used with proper risk management. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Sector/Industry Relative StrengthOverview
The Sector/Industry Relative Strength (RS) Indicator is a powerful tool designed to help traders and investors analyze the performance of sectors and industries relative to the broader market (SPY). It provides real-time insights into sector and industry strength, helping you identify leading and lagging areas of the market.
Key Features
Sector and Industry Analysis:
Automatically detects the sector and industry of the current symbol.
Displays the corresponding sector and industry ETF.
Relative Strength (STS) Calculation:
Calculates the Sector/Industry Trend Strength (STS) by comparing the sector or industry ETF to SPY over the past 20 days.
STS is expressed as a percentile (0-100), indicating how strong the sector/industry ETF has been relative to SPY over the past 20 days.
Example: An STS of 70 means that during the past 20 days, the ETF’s relative strength against SPY was stronger than 70% of those days.
Sector Rank:
Ranks the current sector ETF against a predefined list of major sector ETFs.
Highlights whether the sector is outperforming or underperforming SPY (green if outperforming, red if underperforming).
Customizable Display:
Choose which elements to display (e.g., sector, industry, ETFs, STS, sector rank).
Customize table position, size, text alignment, and colors.
Real-Time Performance:
Tracks daily price changes for sector and industry ETFs.
Displays percentage change from open to close.
How to Use
Add the Indicator:
Apply the indicator to any stock or ETF chart.
The script will automatically detect the sector and industry of the selected symbol.
Interpret the Data:
Sector/Industry: Displays the current sector and industry.
ETF: Shows the corresponding sector and industry ETF.
STS (Sector/Industry Trend Strength): A percentile score (0-100) indicating the relative strength of the sector/industry ETF compared to SPY over the past 20 days.
Sector Rank: Ranks the sector ETF against other major sectors (e.g., "3/12" means the sector is ranked 3rd out of 12).
Customize the Display:
Use the input settings to:
Show/hide specific elements (e.g., sector, industry, ETFs, STS, sector rank).
Adjust the table position, size, and text alignment.
Change colors for positive/negative changes.
Make Informed Decisions:
Use the STS score and sector rank to identify potential trading opportunities.
Focus on sectors and industries with high STS scores and strong rankings (green).
Input Parameters
Table Settings:
Table Position: Choose where to display the table (Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Right).
Table Size: Adjust the size of the table (Tiny, Small, Normal, Large).
Text Color: Customize the text color.
Background Color: Set the table background color.
Display Options:
Show ETFs: Toggle the display of sector and industry ETFs.
Show STS: Toggle the display of the Sector/Industry Trend Strength (STS) score.
Show Sector/Industry: Toggle the display of sector and industry information.
Show Sector Rank: Toggle the display of the sector rank.
Parameters:
Sector Rank Time Length: Set the number of days used for calculating the sector rank (default: 20).
Example Use Cases
Sector Rotation:
Identify sectors with high STS scores and strong rankings (green) to allocate capital.
Avoid sectors with low STS scores and weak rankings (red).
Industry Analysis:
Compare the STS scores of different industries within the same sector.
Use the STS score to gauge relative strength and identify potential opportunities.
Market Timing:
Use the STS score and sector rank to time entries and exits in sector-specific ETFs.
Combine with other technical indicators for confirmation.
Bollinger Bands (Nadaraya Smoothed) | Flux ChartsTicker: AMEX:SPY , Timeframe: 1m, Indicator settings: default
General Purpose
This script is an upgrade to the classic Bollinger Bands. The idea behind Bollinger bands is the detection of price movements outside of a stock's typical fluctuations. Bollinger Bands use a moving average over period n plus/minus the standard deviation over period n times a multiplier. When price closes above or below either band this can be considered an abnormal movement. This script allows for the classic Bollinger Band interpretation while de-noising or "smoothing" the bands.
Efficacy
Ticker: AMEX:SPY , Timeframe: 1m, Indicator settings: Standard Dev: 2; Level 1 : off; Level 2: off; labels: off
Upper Band Key:
Blue: Bollinger No smoothing
Orange: Bollinger SMA smoothing period of 10
Purple: Bollinger EMA smoothing period of 10
Red: Nadaraya Smoothed Bollinger bandwidth of 6
Here we chose periods so that each would have a similar offset from the original Bollinger's. Notice that the Red Band has a much smoother result while on average having a similar fit to the other smoothing techniques. Increasing the EMA's or SMA's period would result in them being smoother however the offset would increase making them less accurate to the original data.
Ticker: AMEX:SPY , Timeframe: 1m, Indicator settings: Standard Dev: 2; Level 1: off; Level 2: off; labels: off
Upper Band Key:
Blue: Bollinger No smoothing
Orange: Bollinger SMA smoothing period of 20
Purple: Bollinger EMA smoothing period of 20
Red: Nadaraya Smoothed Bollinger bandwidth of 6
This makes the Nadaraya estimator a particularly efficacious technique in this use case as it achieves a superior smoothness to fit ratio.
How to Use
This indicator is not intended to be used on its own. Its use case is to identify outlier movements and periods of consolidation. The Smoothing Factor when lowered results in a more reactive but noisy graph. This setting is also known as the "bandwidth" ; it essentially raises the amplitude of the kernel function causing a greater weighting to recent data similar to lowering the period of a SMA or EMA. The repaint smoothing simply draws on the Bollinger's each chart update. Typically repaint would be used for processing and displaying discrete data however currently it's simply another way to display the Bollinger Bands.
What makes this script unique.
Since Bollinger bands use standard deviation they have excess noise. By noise we mean minute fluctuations which most traders will not find useful in their strategies. The Nadaraya-Watson estimator, as used, is essentially a weighted average akin to an ema. A gaussian kernel is placed at the candlestick of interest. That candlestick's value will have the highest weight. From that point the other candlesticks' values effect on the average will decrease with the slope of the kernel function. This creates a localized mean of the Bollinger Bands allowing for reduced noise with minimal distortion of the original Bollinger data.
Performance ComparatorThis indicator allows to compare the performance (% change) of a given symbol with the larger market ( AMEX:SPY ) and/or with a custom symbol, which defaults to AMEX:XLK (an ETF tracking technology companies from the S&P 500).
The performance for the current symbol is displayed as a blue histogram, while performance for the AMEX:SPY and the custom symbol are respectively displayed as orange and white lines, making it easy to spot when the symbol outperformed the market.
Features:
Configurable time resolution (default: same as chart)
Comparison using change percentage or its EMA/WMA/SMA (default: EMA)
Configurable moving average length
Optionally hide AMEX:SPY or the custom symbol from the chart
ORB Fusion🎯 CORE INNOVATION: INSTITUTIONAL ORB FRAMEWORK WITH FAILED BREAKOUT INTELLIGENCE
ORB Fusion represents a complete institutional-grade Opening Range Breakout system combining classic Market Profile concepts (Initial Balance, day type classification) with modern algorithmic breakout detection, failed breakout reversal logic, and comprehensive statistical tracking. Rather than simply drawing lines at opening range extremes, this system implements the full trading methodology used by professional floor traders and market makers—including the critical concept that failed breakouts are often higher-probability setups than successful breakouts .
The Opening Range Hypothesis:
The first 30-60 minutes of trading establishes the day's value area —the price range where the majority of participants agree on fair value. This range is formed during peak information flow (overnight news digestion, gap reactions, early institutional positioning). Breakouts from this range signal directional conviction; failures to hold breakouts signal trapped participants and create exploitable reversals.
Why Opening Range Matters:
1. Information Aggregation : Opening range reflects overnight news, pre-market sentiment, and early institutional orders. It's the market's initial "consensus" on value.
2. Liquidity Concentration : Stop losses cluster just outside opening range. Breakouts trigger these stops, creating momentum. Failed breakouts trap traders, forcing reversals.
3. Statistical Persistence : Markets exhibit range expansion tendency —when price accepts above/below opening range with volume, it often extends 1.0-2.0x the opening range size before mean reversion.
4. Institutional Behavior : Large players (market makers, institutions) use opening range as reference for the day's trading plan. They fade extremes in rotation days and follow breakouts in trend days.
Historical Context:
Opening Range Breakout methodology originated in commodity futures pits (1970s-80s) where floor traders noticed consistent patterns: the first 30-60 minutes established a "fair value zone," and directional moves occurred when this zone was violated with conviction. J. Peter Steidlmayer formalized this observation in Market Profile theory, introducing the "Initial Balance" concept—the first hour (two 30-minute periods) defining market structure.
📊 OPENING RANGE CONSTRUCTION
Four ORB Timeframe Options:
1. 5-Minute ORB (0930-0935 ET):
Captures immediate market direction during "opening drive"—the explosive first few minutes when overnight orders hit the tape.
Use Case:
• Scalping strategies
• High-frequency breakout trading
• Extremely liquid instruments (ES, NQ, SPY)
Characteristics:
• Very tight range (often 0.2-0.5% of price)
• Early breakouts common (7 of 10 days break within first hour)
• Higher false breakout rate (50-60%)
• Requires sub-minute chart monitoring
Psychology: Captures panic buyers/sellers reacting to overnight news. Range is small because sample size is minimal—only 5 minutes of price discovery. Early breakouts often fail because they're driven by retail FOMO rather than institutional conviction.
2. 15-Minute ORB (0930-0945 ET):
Balances responsiveness with statistical validity. Captures opening drive plus initial reaction to that drive.
Use Case:
• Day trading strategies
• Balanced scalping/swing hybrid
• Most liquid instruments
Characteristics:
• Moderate range (0.4-0.8% of price typically)
• Breakout rate ~60% of days
• False breakout rate ~40-45%
• Good balance of opportunity and reliability
Psychology: Includes opening panic AND the first retest/consolidation. Sophisticated traders (institutions, algos) start expressing directional bias. This is the "Goldilocks" timeframe—not too reactive, not too slow.
3. 30-Minute ORB (0930-1000 ET):
Classic ORB timeframe. Default for most professional implementations.
Use Case:
• Standard intraday trading
• Position sizing for full-day trades
• All liquid instruments (equities, indices, futures)
Characteristics:
• Substantial range (0.6-1.2% of price)
• Breakout rate ~55% of days
• False breakout rate ~35-40%
• Statistical sweet spot for extensions
Psychology: Full opening auction + first institutional repositioning complete. By 10:00 AM ET, headlines are digested, early stops are hit, and "real" directional players reveal themselves. This is when institutional programs typically finish their opening positioning.
Statistical Advantage: 30-minute ORB shows highest correlation with daily range. When price breaks and holds outside 30m ORB, probability of reaching 1.0x extension (doubling the opening range) exceeds 60% historically.
4. 60-Minute ORB (0930-1030 ET) - Initial Balance:
Steidlmayer's "Initial Balance"—the foundation of Market Profile theory.
Use Case:
• Swing trading entries
• Day type classification
• Low-frequency institutional setups
Characteristics:
• Wide range (0.8-1.5% of price)
• Breakout rate ~45% of days
• False breakout rate ~25-30% (lowest)
• Best for trend day identification
Psychology: Full first hour captures A-period (0930-1000) and B-period (1000-1030). By 10:30 AM ET, all early positioning is complete. Market has "voted" on value. Subsequent price action confirms (trend day) or rejects (rotation day) this value assessment.
Initial Balance Theory:
IB represents the market's accepted value area . When price extends significantly beyond IB (>1.5x IB range), it signals a Trend Day —strong directional conviction. When price remains within 1.0x IB, it signals a Rotation Day —mean reversion environment. This classification completely changes trading strategy.
🔬 LTF PRECISION TECHNOLOGY
The Chart Timeframe Problem:
Traditional ORB indicators calculate range using the chart's current timeframe. This creates critical inaccuracies:
Example:
• You're on a 5-minute chart
• ORB period is 30 minutes (0930-1000 ET)
• Indicator sees only 6 bars (30min ÷ 5min/bar = 6 bars)
• If any 5-minute bar has extreme wick, entire ORB is distorted
The Problem Amplifies:
• On 15-minute chart with 30-minute ORB: Only 2 bars sampled
• On 30-minute chart with 30-minute ORB: Only 1 bar sampled
• Opening spike or single large wick defines entire range (invalid)
Solution: Lower Timeframe (LTF) Precision:
ORB Fusion uses `request.security_lower_tf()` to sample 1-minute bars regardless of chart timeframe:
```
For 30-minute ORB on 15-minute chart:
- Traditional method: Uses 2 bars (15min × 2 = 30min)
- LTF Precision: Requests thirty 1-minute bars, calculates true high/low
```
Why This Matters:
Scenario: ES futures, 15-minute chart, 30-minute ORB
• Traditional ORB: High = 5850.00, Low = 5842.00 (range = 8 points)
• LTF Precision ORB: High = 5848.50, Low = 5843.25 (range = 5.25 points)
Difference: 2.75 points distortion from single 15-minute wick hitting 5850.00 at 9:31 AM then immediately reversing. LTF precision filters this out by seeing it was a fleeting wick, not a sustained high.
Impact on Extensions:
With inflated range (8 points vs 5.25 points):
• 1.5x extension projects +12 points instead of +7.875 points
• Difference: 4.125 points (nearly $200 per ES contract)
• Breakout signals trigger late; extension targets unreachable
Implementation:
```pinescript
getLtfHighLow() =>
float ha = request.security_lower_tf(syminfo.tickerid, "1", high)
float la = request.security_lower_tf(syminfo.tickerid, "1", low)
```
Function returns arrays of 1-minute high/low values, then finds true maximum and minimum across all samples.
When LTF Precision Activates:
Only when chart timeframe exceeds ORB session window:
• 5-minute chart + 30-minute ORB: LTF used (chart TF > session bars needed)
• 1-minute chart + 30-minute ORB: LTF not needed (direct sampling sufficient)
Recommendation: Always enable LTF Precision unless you're on 1-minute charts. The computational overhead is negligible, and accuracy improvement is substantial.
⚖️ INITIAL BALANCE (IB) FRAMEWORK
Steidlmayer's Market Profile Innovation:
J. Peter Steidlmayer developed Market Profile in the 1980s for the Chicago Board of Trade. His key insight: market structure is best understood through time-at-price (value area) rather than just price-over-time (traditional charts).
Initial Balance Definition:
IB is the price range established during the first hour of trading, subdivided into:
• A-Period : First 30 minutes (0930-1000 ET for US equities)
• B-Period : Second 30 minutes (1000-1030 ET)
A-Period vs B-Period Comparison:
The relationship between A and B periods forecasts the day:
B-Period Expansion (Bullish):
• B-period high > A-period high
• B-period low ≥ A-period low
• Interpretation: Buyers stepping in after opening assessed
• Implication: Bullish continuation likely
• Strategy: Buy pullbacks to A-period high (now support)
B-Period Expansion (Bearish):
• B-period low < A-period low
• B-period high ≤ A-period high
• Interpretation: Sellers stepping in after opening assessed
• Implication: Bearish continuation likely
• Strategy: Sell rallies to A-period low (now resistance)
B-Period Contraction:
• B-period stays within A-period range
• Interpretation: Market indecisive, digesting A-period information
• Implication: Rotation day likely, stay range-bound
• Strategy: Fade extremes, sell high/buy low within IB
IB Extensions:
Professional traders use IB as a ruler to project price targets:
Extension Levels:
• 0.5x IB : Initial probe outside value (minor target)
• 1.0x IB : Full extension (major target for normal days)
• 1.5x IB : Trend day threshold (classifies as trending)
• 2.0x IB : Strong trend day (rare, ~10-15% of days)
Calculation:
```
IB Range = IB High - IB Low
Bull Extension 1.0x = IB High + (IB Range × 1.0)
Bear Extension 1.0x = IB Low - (IB Range × 1.0)
```
Example:
ES futures:
• IB High: 5850.00
• IB Low: 5842.00
• IB Range: 8.00 points
Extensions:
• 1.0x Bull Target: 5850 + 8 = 5858.00
• 1.5x Bull Target: 5850 + 12 = 5862.00
• 2.0x Bull Target: 5850 + 16 = 5866.00
If price reaches 5862.00 (1.5x), day is classified as Trend Day —strategy shifts from mean reversion to trend following.
📈 DAY TYPE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Four Day Types (Market Profile Framework):
1. TREND DAY:
Definition: Price extends ≥1.5x IB range in one direction and stays there.
Characteristics:
• Opens and never returns to IB
• Persistent directional movement
• Volume increases as day progresses (conviction building)
• News-driven or strong institutional flow
Frequency: ~20-25% of trading days
Trading Strategy:
• DO: Follow the trend, trail stops, let winners run
• DON'T: Fade extremes, take early profits
• Key: Add to position on pullbacks to previous extension level
• Risk: Getting chopped in false trend (see Failed Breakout section)
Example: FOMC decision, payroll report, earnings surprise—anything creating one-sided conviction.
2. NORMAL DAY:
Definition: Price extends 0.5-1.5x IB, tests both sides, returns to IB.
Characteristics:
• Two-sided trading
• Extensions occur but don't persist
• Volume balanced throughout day
• Most common day type
Frequency: ~45-50% of trading days
Trading Strategy:
• DO: Take profits at extension levels, expect reversals
• DON'T: Hold for massive moves
• Key: Treat each extension as a profit-taking opportunity
• Risk: Holding too long when momentum shifts
Example: Typical day with no major catalysts—market balancing supply and demand.
3. ROTATION DAY:
Definition: Price stays within IB all day, rotating between high and low.
Characteristics:
• Never accepts outside IB
• Multiple tests of IB high/low
• Decreasing volume (no conviction)
• Classic range-bound action
Frequency: ~25-30% of trading days
Trading Strategy:
• DO: Fade extremes (sell IB high, buy IB low)
• DON'T: Chase breakouts
• Key: Enter at extremes with tight stops just outside IB
• Risk: Breakout finally occurs after multiple failures
Example: [/b> Pre-holiday trading, summer doldrums, consolidation after big move.
4. DEVELOPING:
Definition: Day type not yet determined (early in session).
Usage: Classification before 12:00 PM ET when IB extension pattern unclear.
ORB Fusion's Classification Algorithm:
```pinescript
if close > ibHigh:
ibExtension = (close - ibHigh) / ibRange
direction = "BULLISH"
else if close < ibLow:
ibExtension = (ibLow - close) / ibRange
direction = "BEARISH"
if ibExtension >= 1.5:
dayType = "TREND DAY"
else if ibExtension >= 0.5:
dayType = "NORMAL DAY"
else if close within IB:
dayType = "ROTATION DAY"
```
Why Classification Matters:
Same setup (bullish ORB breakout) has opposite implications:
• Trend Day : Hold for 2.0x extension, trail stops aggressively
• Normal Day : Take profits at 1.0x extension, watch for reversal
• Rotation Day : Fade the breakout immediately (likely false)
Knowing day type prevents catastrophic errors like fading a trend day or holding through rotation.
🚀 BREAKOUT DETECTION & CONFIRMATION
Three Confirmation Methods:
1. Close Beyond Level (Recommended):
Logic: Candle must close above ORB high (bull) or below ORB low (bear).
Why:
• Filters out wicks (temporary liquidity grabs)
• Ensures sustained acceptance above/below range
• Reduces false breakout rate by ~20-30%
Example:
• ORB High: 5850.00
• Bar high touches 5850.50 (wick above)
• Bar closes at 5848.00 (inside range)
• Result: NO breakout signal
vs.
• Bar high touches 5850.50
• Bar closes at 5851.00 (outside range)
• Result: BREAKOUT signal confirmed
Trade-off: Slightly delayed entry (wait for close) but much higher reliability.
2. Wick Beyond Level:
Logic: [/b> Any touch of ORB high/low triggers breakout.
Why:
• Earliest possible entry
• Captures aggressive momentum moves
Risk:
• High false breakout rate (60-70%)
• Stop runs trigger signals
• Requires very tight stops (difficult to manage)
Use Case: Scalping with 1-2 point profit targets where any penetration = trade.
3. Body Beyond Level:
Logic: [/b> Candle body (close vs open) must be entirely outside range.
Why:
• Strictest confirmation
• Ensures directional conviction (not just momentum)
• Lowest false breakout rate
Example: Trade-off: [/b> Very conservative—misses some valid breakouts but rarely triggers on false ones.
Volume Confirmation Layer:
All confirmation methods can require volume validation:
Volume Multiplier Logic: Rationale: [/b> True breakouts are driven by institutional activity (large size). Volume spike confirms real conviction vs. stop-run manipulation.
Statistical Impact: [/b>
• Breakouts with volume confirmation: ~65% success rate
• Breakouts without volume: ~45% success rate
• Difference: 20 percentage points edge
Implementation Note: [/b>
Volume confirmation adds complexity—you'll miss breakouts that work but lack volume. However, when targeting 1.5x+ extensions (ambitious goals), volume confirmation becomes critical because those moves require sustained institutional participation.
Recommended Settings by Strategy: [/b>
Scalping (1-2 point targets): [/b>
• Method: Close
• Volume: OFF
• Rationale: Quick in/out doesn't need perfection
Intraday Swing (5-10 point targets): [/b>
• Method: Close
• Volume: ON (1.5x multiplier)
• Rationale: Balance reliability and opportunity
Position Trading (full-day holds): [/b>
• Method: Body
• Volume: ON (2.0x multiplier)
• Rationale: Must be certain—large stops require high win rate
🔥 FAILED BREAKOUT SYSTEM
The Core Insight: [/b>
Failed breakouts are often more profitable [/b> than successful breakouts because they create trapped traders with predictable behavior.
Failed Breakout Definition: [/b>
A breakout that:
1. Initially penetrates ORB level with confirmation
2. Attracts participants (volume spike, momentum)
3. Fails to extend (stalls or immediately reverses)
4. Returns inside ORB range within N bars
Psychology of Failure: [/b>
When breakout fails:
• Breakout buyers are trapped [/b>: Bought at ORB high, now underwater
• Early longs reduce: Take profit, fearful of reversal
• Shorts smell blood: See failed breakout as reversal signal
• Result: Cascade of selling as trapped bulls exit + new shorts enter
Mirror image for failed bearish breakouts (trapped shorts cover + new longs enter).
Failure Detection Parameters: [/b>
1. Failure Confirmation Bars (default: 3): [/b>
How many bars after breakout to confirm failure?
Logic: Settings: [/b>
• 2 bars: Aggressive failure detection (more signals, more false failures)
• 3 bars Balanced (default)
• 5-10 bars: Conservative (wait for clear reversal)
Why This Matters:
Too few bars: You call "failed breakout" when price is just consolidating before next leg.
Too many bars: You miss the reversal entry (price already back in range).
2. Failure Buffer (default: 0.1 ATR): [/b>
How far inside ORB must price return to confirm failure?
Formula: Why Buffer Matters: clear rejection [/b> (not just hovering at level).
Settings: [/b>
• 0.0 ATR: No buffer, immediate failure signal
• 0.1 ATR: Small buffer (default) - filters noise
• [b>0.2-0.3 ATR: Large buffer - only dramatic failures count
Example: Reversal Entry System: [/b>
When failure confirmed, system generates complete reversal trade:
For Failed Bull Breakout (Short Reversal): [/b>
Entry: [/b> Current close when failure confirmed
Stop Loss: [/b> Extreme high since breakout + 0.10 ATR padding
Target 1: [/b> ORB High - (ORB Range × 0.5)
Target 2: Target 3: [/b> ORB High - (ORB Range × 1.5)
Example:
• ORB High: 5850, ORB Low: 5842, Range: 8 points
• Breakout to 5853, fails, reverses to 5848 (entry)
• Stop: 5853 + 1 = 5854 (6 point risk)
• T1: 5850 - 4 = 5846 (-2 points, 1:3 R:R)
• T2: 5850 - 8 = 5842 (-6 points, 1:1 R:R)
• T3: 5850 - 12 = 5838 (-10 points, 1.67:1 R:R)
[b>Why These Targets? [/b>
• T1 (0.5x ORB below high): Trapped bulls start panic
• T2 (1.0x ORB = ORB Mid): Major retracement, momentum fully reversed
• T3 (1.5x ORB): Reversal extended, now targeting opposite side
Historical Performance: [/b>
Failed breakout reversals in ORB Fusion's tracking system show:
• Win Rate: 65-75% (significantly higher than initial breakouts)
• Average Winner: 1.2x ORB range
• Average Loser: 0.5x ORB range (protected by stop at extreme)
• Expectancy: Strongly positive even with <70% win rate
Why Failed Breakouts Outperform: [/b>
1. Information Advantage: You now know what price did (failed to extend). Initial breakout trades are speculative; reversal trades are reactive to confirmed failure.
2. Trapped Participant Pressure: Every trapped bull becomes a seller. This creates sustained pressure.
3. Stop Loss Clarity: Extreme high is obvious stop (just beyond recent high). Breakout trades have ambiguous stops (ORB mid? Recent low? Too wide or too tight).
4. Mean Reversion Edge: Failed breakouts return to value (ORB mid). Initial breakouts try to escape value (harder to sustain).
Critical Insight: [/b>
"The best trade is often the one that trapped everyone else."
Failed breakouts create asymmetric opportunity because you're trading against [/b> trapped participants rather than with [/b> them. When you see a failed breakout signal, you're seeing real-time evidence that the market rejected directional conviction—that's exploitable.
📐 FIBONACCI EXTENSION SYSTEM
Six Extension Levels: [/b>
Extensions project how far price will travel after ORB breakout. Based on Fibonacci ratios + empirical market behavior.
1. 1.272x (27.2% Extension): [/b>
Formula: [/b> ORB High/Low + (ORB Range × 0.272)
Psychology: [/b> Initial probe beyond ORB. Early momentum + trapped shorts (on bull side) covering.
Probability of Reach: [/b> ~75-80% after confirmed breakout
Trading: [/b>
• First resistance/support after breakout
• Partial profit target (take 30-50% off)
• Watch for rejection here (could signal failure in progress)
Why 1.272? [/b> Related to harmonic patterns (1.272 is √1.618). Empirically, markets often stall at 25-30% extension before deciding whether to continue or fail.
2. 1.5x (50% Extension):
Formula: [/b> ORB High/Low + (ORB Range × 0.5)
Psychology: [/b> Breakout gaining conviction. Requires sustained buying/selling (not just momentum spike).
Probability of Reach: [/b> ~60-65% after confirmed breakout
Trading: [/b>
• Major partial profit (take 50-70% off)
• Move stops to breakeven
• Trail remaining position
Why 1.5x? [/b> Classic halfway point to 2.0x. Markets often consolidate here before final push. If day type is "Normal," this is likely the high/low for the day.
3. 1.618x (Golden Ratio Extension): [/b>
Formula: [/b> ORB High/Low + (ORB Range × 0.618)
Psychology: [/b> Strong directional day. Institutional conviction + retail FOMO.
Probability of Reach: [/b> ~45-50% after confirmed breakout
Trading: [/b>
• Final partial profit (close 80-90%)
• Trail remainder with wide stop (allow breathing room)
Why 1.618? [/b> Fibonacci golden ratio. Appears consistently in market geometry. When price reaches 1.618x extension, move is "mature" and reversal risk increases.
4. 2.0x (100% Extension): [/b>
Formula: ORB High/Low + (ORB Range × 1.0)
Psychology: [/b> Trend day confirmed. Opening range completely duplicated.
Probability of Reach: [/b> ~30-35% after confirmed breakout
Trading: Why 2.0x? [/b> Psychological level—range doubled. Also corresponds to typical daily ATR in many instruments (opening range ~ 0.5 ATR, daily range ~ 1.0 ATR).
5. 2.618x (Super Extension):
Formula: [/b> ORB High/Low + (ORB Range × 1.618)
Psychology: [/b> Parabolic move. News-driven or squeeze.
Probability of Reach: [/b> ~10-15% after confirmed breakout
[b>Trading: Why 2.618? [/b> Fibonacci ratio (1.618²). Rare to reach—when it does, move is extreme. Often precedes multi-day consolidation or reversal.
6. 3.0x (Extreme Extension): [/b>
Formula: [/b> ORB High/Low + (ORB Range × 2.0)
Psychology: [/b> Market melt-up/crash. Only in extreme events.
[b>Probability of Reach: [/b> <5% after confirmed breakout
Trading: [/b>
• Close immediately if reached
• These are outlier events (black swans, flash crashes, squeeze-outs)
• Holding for more is greed—take windfall profit
Why 3.0x? [/b> Triple opening range. So rare it's statistical noise. When it happens, it's headline news.
Visual Example:
ES futures, ORB 5842-5850 (8 point range), Bullish breakout:
• ORB High : 5850.00 (entry zone)
• 1.272x : 5850 + 2.18 = 5852.18 (first resistance)
• 1.5x : 5850 + 4.00 = 5854.00 (major target)
• 1.618x : 5850 + 4.94 = 5854.94 (strong target)
• 2.0x : 5850 + 8.00 = 5858.00 (trend day)
• 2.618x : 5850 + 12.94 = 5862.94 (extreme)
• 3.0x : 5850 + 16.00 = 5866.00 (parabolic)
Profit-Taking Strategy:
Optimal scaling out at extensions:
• Breakout entry at 5850.50
• 30% off at 1.272x (5852.18) → +1.68 points
• 40% off at 1.5x (5854.00) → +3.50 points
• 20% off at 1.618x (5854.94) → +4.44 points
• 10% off at 2.0x (5858.00) → +7.50 points
[b>Average Exit: Conclusion: [/b> Scaling out at extensions produces 40% higher expectancy than holding for home runs.
📊 GAP ANALYSIS & FILL PSYCHOLOGY
[b>Gap Definition: [/b>
Price discontinuity between previous close and current open:
• Gap Up : Open > Previous Close + noise threshold (0.1 ATR)
• Gap Down : Open < Previous Close - noise threshold
Why Gaps Matter: [/b>
Gaps represent unfilled orders [/b>. When market gaps up, all limit buy orders between yesterday's close and today's open are never filled. Those buyers are "left behind." Psychology: they wait for price to return ("fill the gap") so they can enter. This creates magnetic pull [/b> toward gap level.
Gap Fill Statistics (Empirical): [/b>
• Gaps <0.5% [/b>: 85-90% fill within same day
• Gaps 0.5-1.0% [/b>: 70-75% fill within same day, 90%+ within week
• Gaps >1.0% [/b>: 50-60% fill within same day (major news often prevents fill)
Gap Fill Strategy: [/b>
Setup 1: Gap-and-Go
Gap opens, extends away from gap (doesn't fill).
• ORB confirms direction away from gap
• Trade WITH ORB breakout direction
• Expectation: Gap won't fill today (momentum too strong)
Setup 2: Gap-Fill Fade
Gap opens, but fails to extend. Price drifts back toward gap.
• ORB breakout TOWARD gap (not away)
• Trade toward gap fill level
• Target: Previous close (gap fill complete)
Setup 3: Gap-Fill Rejection
Gap fills (touches previous close) then rejects.
• ORB breakout AWAY from gap after fill
• Trade away from gap direction
• Thesis: Gap filled (orders executed), now resume original direction
[b>Example: Scenario A (Gap-and-Go):
• ORB breaks upward to $454 (away from gap)
• Trade: LONG breakout, expect continued rally
• Gap becomes support ($452)
Scenario B (Gap-Fill):
• ORB breaks downward through $452.50 (toward gap)
• Trade: SHORT toward gap fill at $450.00
• Target: $450.00 (gap filled), close position
Scenario C (Gap-Fill Rejection):
• Price drifts to $450.00 (gap filled) early in session
• ORB establishes $450-$451 after gap fill
• ORB breaks upward to $451.50
• Trade: LONG breakout (gap is filled, now resume rally)
ORB Fusion Integration: [/b>
Dashboard shows:
• Gap type (Up/Down/None)
• Gap size (percentage)
• Gap fill status (Filled ✓ / Open)
This informs setup confidence:
• ORB breakout AWAY from unfilled gap: +10% confidence (gap becomes support/resistance)
• ORB breakout TOWARD unfilled gap: -10% confidence (gap fill may override ORB)
[b>📈 VWAP & INSTITUTIONAL BIAS [/b>
[b>Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP): [/b>
Average price weighted by volume at each price level. Represents true "average" cost for the day.
[b>Calculation: Institutional Benchmark [/b>: Institutions (mutual funds, pension funds) use VWAP as performance benchmark. If they buy above VWAP, they underperformed; below VWAP, they outperformed.
2. [b>Algorithmic Target [/b>: Many algos are programmed to buy below VWAP and sell above VWAP to achieve "fair" execution.
3. [b>Support/Resistance [/b>: VWAP acts as dynamic support (price above) or resistance (price below).
[b>VWAP Bands (Standard Deviations): [/b>
• [b>1σ Band [/b>: VWAP ± 1 standard deviation
- Contains ~68% of volume
- Normal trading range
- Bounces common
• [b>2σ Band [/b>: VWAP ± 2 standard deviations
- Contains ~95% of volume
- Extreme extension
- Mean reversion likely
ORB + VWAP Confluence: [/b>
Highest-probability setups occur when ORB and VWAP align:
Bullish Confluence: [/b>
• ORB breakout upward (bullish signal)
• Price above VWAP (institutional buying)
• Confidence boost: +15%
Bearish Confluence: [/b>
• ORB breakout downward (bearish signal)
• Price below VWAP (institutional selling)
• Confidence boost: +15%
[b>Divergence Warning:
• ORB breakout upward BUT price below VWAP
• Conflict: Breakout says "buy," VWAP says "sell"
• Confidence penalty: -10%
• Interpretation: Retail buying but institutions not participating (lower quality breakout)
📊 MOMENTUM CONTEXT SYSTEM
[b>Innovation: Candle Coloring by Position
Rather than fixed support/resistance lines, ORB Fusion colors candles based on their [b>relationship to ORB :
[b>Three Zones: [/b>
1. Inside ORB (Blue Boxes): [/b>
[b>Calculation:
• Darker blue: Near extremes of ORB (potential breakout imminent)
• Lighter blue: Near ORB mid (consolidation)
[b>Trading: [/b> Coiled spring—await breakout.
[b>2. Above ORB (Green Boxes):
[b>Calculation: 3. Below ORB (Red Boxes):
Mirror of above ORB logic.
[b>Special Contexts: [/b>
[b>Breakout Bar (Darkest Green/Red): [/b>
The specific bar where breakout occurs gets maximum color intensity regardless of distance. This highlights the pivotal moment.
[b>Failed Breakout Bar (Orange/Warning): [/b>
When failed breakout is confirmed, that bar gets orange/warning color. Visual alert: "reversal opportunity here."
[b>Near Extension (Cyan/Magenta Tint): [/b>
When price is within 0.5 ATR of an extension level, candle gets tinted cyan (bull) or magenta (bear). Indicates "target approaching—prepare to take profit."
[b>Why Visual Context? [/b>
Traditional indicators show lines. ORB Fusion shows [b>context-aware momentum [/b>. Glance at chart:
• Lots of blue? Consolidation day (fade extremes).
• Progressive green? Trend day (follow).
• Green then orange? Failed breakout (reversal setup).
This visual language communicates market state instantly—no interpretation needed.
🎯 TRADE SETUP GENERATION & GRADING [/b>
[b>Algorithmic Setup Detection: [/b>
ORB Fusion continuously evaluates market state and generates current best trade setup with:
• Action (LONG / SHORT / FADE HIGH / FADE LOW / WAIT)
• Entry price
• Stop loss
• Three targets
• Risk:Reward ratio
• Confidence score (0-100)
• Grade (A+ to D)
[b>Setup Types: [/b>
[b>1. ORB LONG (Bullish Breakout): [/b>
[b>Trigger: [/b>
• Bullish ORB breakout confirmed
• Not failed
[b>Parameters:
• Entry: Current close
• Stop: ORB mid (protects against failure)
• T1: ORB High + 0.5x range (1.5x extension)
• T2: ORB High + 1.0x range (2.0x extension)
• T3: ORB High + 1.618x range (2.618x extension)
[b>Confidence Scoring:
[b>Trigger: [/b>
• Bearish breakout occurred
• Failed (returned inside ORB)
[b>Parameters: [/b>
• Entry: Close when failure confirmed
• Stop: Extreme low since breakout + 0.10 ATR
• T1: ORB Low + 0.5x range
• T2: ORB Low + 1.0x range (ORB mid)
• T3: ORB Low + 1.5x range
[b>Confidence Scoring:
[b>Trigger:
• Inside ORB
• Close > ORB mid (near high)
[b>Parameters: [/b>
• Entry: ORB High (limit order)
• Stop: ORB High + 0.2x range
• T1: ORB Mid
• T2: ORB Low
[b>Confidence Scoring: [/b>
Base: 40 points (lower base—range fading is lower probability than breakout/reversal)
[b>Use Case: [/b> Rotation days. Not recommended on normal/trend days.
[b>6. FADE LOW (Range Trade):
Mirror of FADE HIGH.
[b>7. WAIT:
[b>Trigger: [/b>
• ORB not complete yet OR
• No clear setup (price in no-man's-land)
[b>Action: [/b> Observe, don't trade.
[b>Confidence: [/b> 0 points
[b>Grading System:
```
Confidence → Grade
85-100 → A+
75-84 → A
65-74 → B+
55-64 → B
45-54 → C
0-44 → D
```
[b>Grade Interpretation: [/b>
• [b>A+ / A: High probability setup. Take these trades.
• [b>B+ / B [/b>: Decent setup. Trade if fits system rules.
• [b>C [/b>: Marginal setup. Only if very experienced.
• [b>D [/b>: Poor setup or no setup. Don't trade.
[b>Example Scenario: [/b>
ES futures:
• ORB: 5842-5850 (8 point range)
• Bullish breakout to 5851 confirmed
• Volume: 2.0x average (confirmed)
• VWAP: 5845 (price above VWAP ✓)
• Day type: Developing (too early, no bonus)
• Gap: None
[b>Setup: [/b>
• Action: LONG
• Entry: 5851
• Stop: 5846 (ORB mid, -5 point risk)
• T1: 5854 (+3 points, 1:0.6 R:R)
• T2: 5858 (+7 points, 1:1.4 R:R)
• T3: 5862.94 (+11.94 points, 1:2.4 R:R)
[b>Confidence: LONG with 55% confidence.
Interpretation: Solid setup, not perfect. Trade it if your system allows B-grade signals.
[b>📊 STATISTICS TRACKING & PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS [/b>
[b>Real-Time Performance Metrics: [/b>
ORB Fusion tracks comprehensive statistics over user-defined lookback (default 50 days):
[b>Breakout Performance: [/b>
• [b>Bull Breakouts: [/b> Total count, wins, losses, win rate
• [b>Bear Breakouts: [/b> Total count, wins, losses, win rate
[b>Win Definition: [/b> Breakout reaches ≥1.0x extension (doubles the opening range) before end of day.
[b>Example: [/b>
• ORB: 5842-5850 (8 points)
• Bull breakout at 5851
• Reaches 5858 (1.0x extension) by close
• Result: WIN
[b>Failed Breakout Performance: [/b>
• [b>Total Failed Breakouts [/b>: Count of breakouts that failed
• [b>Reversal Wins [/b>: Count where reversal trade reached target
• [b>Failed Reversal Win Rate [/b>: Wins / Total Failed
[b>Win Definition for Reversals: [/b>
• Failed bull → reversal short reaches ORB mid
• Failed bear → reversal long reaches ORB mid
[b>Extension Tracking: [/b>
• [b>Average Extension Reached [/b>: Mean of maximum extension achieved across all breakout days
• [b>Max Extension Overall [/b>: Largest extension ever achieved in lookback period
[b>Example: 🎨 THREE DISPLAY MODES
[b>Design Philosophy: [/b>
Not all traders need all features. Beginners want simplicity. Professionals want everything. ORB Fusion adapts.
[b>SIMPLE MODE: [/b>
[b>Shows: [/b>
• Primary ORB levels (High, Mid, Low)
• ORB box
• Breakout signals (triangles)
• Failed breakout signals (crosses)
• Basic dashboard (ORB status, breakout status, setup)
• VWAP
[b>Hides: [/b>
• Session ORBs (Asian, London, NY)
• IB levels and extensions
• ORB extensions beyond basic levels
• Gap analysis visuals
• Statistics dashboard
• Momentum candle coloring
• Narrative dashboard
[b>Use Case: [/b>
• Traders who want clean chart
• Focus on core ORB concept only
• Mobile trading (less screen space)
[b>STANDARD MODE:
[b>Shows Everything in Simple Plus: [/b>
• Session ORBs (Asian, London, NY)
• IB levels (high, low, mid)
• IB extensions
• ORB extensions (1.272x, 1.5x, 1.618x, 2.0x)
• Gap analysis and fill targets
• VWAP bands (1σ and 2σ)
• Momentum candle coloring
• Context section in dashboard
• Narrative dashboard
[b>Hides: [/b>
• Advanced extensions (2.618x, 3.0x)
• Detailed statistics dashboard
[b>Use Case: [/b>
• Most traders
• Balance between information and clarity
• Covers 90% of use cases
[b>ADVANCED MODE:
[b>Shows Everything:
• All session ORBs
• All IB levels and extensions
• All ORB extensions (including 2.618x and 3.0x)
• Full gap analysis
• VWAP with both 1σ and 2σ bands
• Momentum candle coloring
• Complete statistics dashboard
• Narrative dashboard
• All context metrics
[b>Use Case: [/b>
• Professional traders
• System developers
• Those who want maximum information density
[b>Switching Modes: [/b>
Single dropdown input: "Display Mode" → Simple / Standard / Advanced
Entire indicator adapts instantly. No need to toggle 20 individual settings.
📖 NARRATIVE DASHBOARD
[b>Innovation: Plain-English Market State [/b>
Most indicators show data. ORB Fusion explains what the data [b>means [/b>.
[b>Narrative Components: [/b>
[b>1. Phase: [/b>
• "📍 Building ORB..." (during ORB session)
• "📊 Trading Phase" (after ORB complete)
• "⏳ Pre-Market" (before ORB session)
[b>2. Status (Current Observation): [/b>
• "⚠️ Failed breakout - reversal likely"
• "🚀 Bullish momentum in play"
• "📉 Bearish momentum in play"
• "⚖️ Consolidating in range"
• "👀 Monitoring for setup"
[b>3. Next Level:
Tells you what to watch for:
• "🎯 1.5x @ 5854.00" (next extension target)
• "Watch ORB levels" (inside range, await breakout)
[b>4. Setup: [/b>
Current trade setup + grade:
• "LONG " (bullish breakout, A-grade)
• "🔥 SHORT REVERSAL " (failed bull breakout, A+-grade)
• "WAIT " (no setup)
[b>5. Reason: [/b>
Why this setup exists:
• "ORB Bullish Breakout"
• "Failed Bear Breakout - High Probability Reversal"
• "Range Fade - Near High"
[b>6. Tip (Market Insight):
Contextual advice:
• "🔥 TREND DAY - Trail stops" (day type is trending)
• "🔄 ROTATION - Fade extremes" (day type is rotating)
• "📊 Gap unfilled - magnet level" (gap creates target)
• "📈 Normal conditions" (no special context)
[b>Example Narrative:
```
📖 ORB Narrative
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Phase | 📊 Trading Phase
Status | 🚀 Bullish momentum in play
Next | 🎯 1.5x @ 5854.00
📈 Setup | LONG
Reason | ORB Bullish Breakout
💡 Tip | 🔥 TREND DAY - Trail stops
```
[b>Glance Interpretation: [/b>
"We're in trading phase. Bullish breakout happened (momentum in play). Next target is 1.5x extension at 5854. Current setup is LONG with A-grade. It's a trend day, so trail stops (don't take early profits)."
Complete market state communicated in 6 lines. No interpretation needed.
[b>Why This Matters:
Beginner traders struggle with "So what?" question. Indicators show lines and signals, but what does it mean [/b>? Narrative dashboard bridges this gap.
Professional traders benefit too—rapid context assessment during fast-moving markets. No time to analyze; glance at narrative, get action plan.
🔔 INTELLIGENT ALERT SYSTEM
[b>Four Alert Types: [/b>
[b>1. Breakout Alert: [/b>
[b>Trigger: [/b> ORB breakout confirmed (bull or bear)
[b>Message: [/b>
```
🚀 ORB BULLISH BREAKOUT
Price: 5851.00
Volume Confirmed
Grade: A
```
[b>Frequency: [/b> Once per bar (prevents spam)
[b>2. Failed Breakout Alert: [/b>
[b>Trigger: [/b> Breakout fails, reversal setup generated
[b>Message: [/b>
```
🔥 FAILED BULLISH BREAKOUT!
HIGH PROBABILITY SHORT REVERSAL
Entry: 5848.00
Stop: 5854.00
T1: 5846.00
T2: 5842.00
Historical Win Rate: 73%
```
[b>Why Comprehensive? [/b> Failed breakout alerts include complete trade plan. You can execute immediately from alert—no need to check chart.
[b>3. Extension Alert:
[b>Trigger: [/b> Price reaches extension level for first time
[b>Message: [/b>
```
🎯 Bull Extension 1.5x reached @ 5854.00
```
[b>Use: [/b> Profit-taking reminder. When extension hit, consider scaling out.
[b>4. IB Break Alert: [/b>
[b>Trigger: [/b> Price breaks above IB high or below IB low
[b>Message: [/b>
```
📊 IB HIGH BROKEN - Potential Trend Day
```
[b>Use: [/b> Day type classification. IB break suggests trend day developing—adjust strategy to trend-following mode.
[b>Alert Management: [/b>
Each alert type can be enabled/disabled independently. Prevents notification overload.
[b>Cooldown Logic: [/b>
Alerts won't fire if same alert type triggered within last bar. Prevents:
• "Breakout" alert every tick during choppy breakout
• Multiple "extension" alerts if price oscillates at level
Ensures: One clean alert per event.
⚙️ KEY PARAMETERS EXPLAINED
[b>Opening Range Settings: [/b>
• [b>ORB Timeframe [/b> (5/15/30/60 min): Duration of opening range window
- 30 min recommended for most traders
• [b>Use RTH Only [/b> (ON/OFF): Only trade during regular trading hours
- ON recommended (avoids thin overnight markets)
• [b>Use LTF Precision [/b> (ON/OFF): Sample 1-minute bars for accuracy
- ON recommended (critical for charts >1 minute)
• [b>Precision TF [/b> (1/5 min): Timeframe for LTF sampling
- 1 min recommended (most accurate)
[b>Session ORBs: [/b>
• [b>Show Asian/London/NY ORB [/b> (ON/OFF): Display multi-session ranges
- OFF in Simple mode
- ON in Standard/Advanced if trading 24hr markets
• [b>Session Windows [/b>: Time ranges for each session ORB
- Defaults align with major session opens
[b>Initial Balance: [/b>
• [b>Show IB [/b> (ON/OFF): Display Initial Balance levels
- ON recommended for day type classification
• [b>IB Session Window [/b> (0930-1030): First hour of trading
- Default is standard for US equities
• [b>Show IB Extensions [/b> (ON/OFF): Project IB extension targets
- ON recommended (identifies trend days)
• [b>IB Extensions 1-4 [/b> (0.5x, 1.0x, 1.5x, 2.0x): Extension multipliers
- Defaults are Market Profile standard
[b>ORB Extensions: [/b>
• [b>Show Extensions [/b> (ON/OFF): Project ORB extension targets
- ON recommended (defines profit targets)
• [b>Enable Individual Extensions [/b> (1.272x, 1.5x, 1.618x, 2.0x, 2.618x, 3.0x)
- Enable 1.272x, 1.5x, 1.618x, 2.0x minimum
- Disable 2.618x and 3.0x unless trading very volatile instruments
[b>Breakout Detection:
• [b>Confirmation Method [/b> (Close/Wick/Body):
- Close recommended (best balance)
- Wick for scalping
- Body for conservative
• [b>Require Volume Confirmation [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON recommended (increases reliability)
• [b>Volume Multiplier [/b> (1.0-3.0):
- 1.5x recommended
- Lower for thin instruments
- Higher for heavy volume instruments
[b>Failed Breakout System: [/b>
• [b>Enable Failed Breakouts [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON strongly recommended (highest edge)
• [b>Bars to Confirm Failure [/b> (2-10):
- 3 bars recommended
- 2 for aggressive (more signals, more false failures)
- 5+ for conservative (fewer signals, higher quality)
• [b>Failure Buffer [/b> (0.0-0.5 ATR):
- 0.1 ATR recommended
- Filters noise during consolidation near ORB level
• [b>Show Reversal Targets [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON recommended (visualizes trade plan)
• [b>Reversal Target Mults [/b> (0.5x, 1.0x, 1.5x):
- Defaults are tested values
- Adjust based on average daily range
[b>Gap Analysis:
• [b>Show Gap Analysis [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON if trading instruments that gap frequently
- OFF for 24hr markets (forex, crypto—no gaps)
• [b>Gap Fill Target [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON to visualize previous close (gap fill level)
[b>VWAP:
• [b>Show VWAP [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON recommended (key institutional level)
• [b>Show VWAP Bands [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON in Standard/Advanced
- OFF in Simple
• [b>Band Multipliers (1.0σ, 2.0σ):
- Defaults are standard
- 1σ = normal range, 2σ = extreme
[b>Day Type: [/b>
• [b>Show Day Type Analysis [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON recommended (critical for strategy adaptation)
• [b>Trend Day Threshold [/b> (1.0-2.5 IB mult):
- 1.5x recommended
- When price extends >1.5x IB, classifies as Trend Day
[b>Enhanced Visuals:
• [b>Show Momentum Candles [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON for visual context
- OFF if chart gets too colorful
• [b>Show Gradient Zone Fills [/b> (ON/OFF):
- ON for professional look
- OFF for minimalist chart
• [b>Label Display Mode [/b> (All/Adaptive/Minimal):
- Adaptive recommended (shows nearby labels only)
- All for information density
- Minimal for clean chart
• [b>Label Proximity [/b> (1.0-5.0 ATR):
- 3.0 ATR recommended
- Labels beyond this distance are hidden (Adaptive mode)
[b>🎓 PROFESSIONAL USAGE PROTOCOL [/b>
[b>Phase 1: Learning the System (Week 1) [/b>
[b>Goal: [/b> Understand ORB concepts and dashboard interpretation
[b>Setup: [/b>
• Display Mode: STANDARD
• ORB Timeframe: 30 minutes
• Enable ALL features (IB, extensions, failed breakouts, VWAP, gap analysis)
• Enable statistics tracking
[b>Actions: [/b>
• Paper trade ONLY—no real money
• Observe ORB formation every day (9:30-10:00 AM ET for US markets)
• Note when ORB breakouts occur and if they extend
• Note when breakouts fail and reversals happen
• Watch day type classification evolve during session
• Track statistics—which setups are working?
[b>Key Learning: [/b>
• How often do breakouts reach 1.5x extension? (typically 50-60% of confirmed breakouts)
• How often do breakouts fail? (typically 30-40%)
• Which setup grade (A/B/C) actually performs best? (should see A-grade outperforming)
• What day type produces best results? (trend days favor breakouts, rotation days favor fades)
[b>Phase 2: Parameter Optimization (Week 2) [/b>
[b>Goal: [/b> Tune system to your instrument and timeframe
[b>ORB Timeframe Selection:
• Run 5 days with 15-minute ORB
• Run 5 days with 30-minute ORB
• Compare: Which captures better breakouts on your instrument?
• Typically: 30-minute optimal for most, 15-minute for very liquid (ES, SPY)
[b>Volume Confirmation Testing:
• Run 5 days WITH volume confirmation
• Run 5 days WITHOUT volume confirmation
• Compare: Does volume confirmation increase win rate?
• If win rate improves by >5%: Keep volume confirmation ON
• If no improvement: Turn OFF (avoid missing valid breakouts)
[b>Failed Breakout Bars:
[b>Goal: [/b> Develop personal trading rules based on system signals
[b>Setup Selection Rules: [/b>
Define which setups you'll trade:
• [b>Conservative: [/b> Only A+ and A grades
• [b>Balanced: [/b> A+, A, B+ grades
• [b>Aggressive: [/b> All grades B and above
Test each approach for 5-10 trades, compare results.
[b>Position Sizing by Grade: [/b>
Consider risk-weighting by setup quality:
• A+ grade: 100% position size
• A grade: 75% position size
• B+ grade: 50% position size
• B grade: 25% position size
Example: If max risk is $1000/trade:
• A+ setup: Risk $1000
• A setup: Risk $750
• B+ setup: Risk $500
This matches bet sizing to edge.
[b>Day Type Adaptation: [/b>
Create rules for different day types:
Trend Days:
• Take ALL breakout signals (A/B/C grades)
• Hold for 2.0x extension minimum
• Trail stops aggressively (1.0 ATR trail)
• DON'T fade—reversals unlikely
Rotation Days:
• ONLY take failed breakout reversals
• Ignore initial breakout signals (likely to fail)
• Take profits quickly (0.5x extension)
• Focus on fade setups (Fade High/Fade Low)
Normal Days:
• Take A/A+ breakout signals only
• Take ALL failed breakout reversals (high probability)
• Target 1.0-1.5x extensions
• Partial profit-taking at extensions
Time-of-Day Rules: [/b>
Breakouts at different times have different probabilities:
10:00-10:30 AM (Early Breakout):
• ORB just completed
• Fresh breakout
• Probability: Moderate (50-55% reach 1.0x)
• Strategy: Conservative position sizing
10:30-12:00 PM (Mid-Morning):
• Momentum established
• Volume still healthy
• Probability: High (60-65% reach 1.0x)
• Strategy: Standard position sizing
12:00-2:00 PM (Lunch Doldrums):
• Volume dries up
• Whipsaw risk increases
• Probability: Low (40-45% reach 1.0x)
• Strategy: Avoid new entries OR reduce size 50%
2:00-4:00 PM (Afternoon Session):
• Late-day positioning
• EOD squeezes possible
• Probability: Moderate-High (55-60%)
• Strategy: Watch for IB break—if trending all day, follow
[b>Phase 4: Live Micro-Sizing (Month 2) [/b>
[b>Goal: [/b> Validate paper trading results with minimal risk
[b>Setup: [/b>
• 10-20% of intended full position size
• Take ONLY A+ and A grade setups
• Follow stop loss and targets religiously
[b>Execution: [/b>
• Execute from alerts OR from dashboard setup box
• Entry: Close of signal bar OR next bar market order
• Stop: Use exact stop from setup (don't widen)
• Targets: Scale out at T1/T2/T3 as indicated
[b>Tracking: [/b>
• Log every trade: Entry, Exit, Grade, Outcome, Day Type
• Calculate: Win rate, Average R-multiple, Max consecutive losses
• Compare to paper trading results (should be within 15%)
[b>Red Flags: [/b>
• Win rate <45%: System not suitable for this instrument/timeframe
• Major divergence from paper trading: Execution issues (slippage, late entries, emotional exits)
• Max consecutive losses >8: Hitting rough patch OR market regime changed
[b>Phase 5: Scaling Up (Months 3-6)
[b>Goal: [/b> Gradually increase to full position size
[b>Progression: [/b>
• Month 3: 25-40% size (if micro-sizing profitable)
• Month 4: 40-60% size
• Month 5: 60-80% size
• Month 6: 80-100% size
[b>Milestones Required to Scale Up: [/b>
• Minimum 30 trades at current size
• Win rate ≥48%
• Profit factor ≥1.2
• Max drawdown <20%
• Emotional control (no revenge trading, no FOMO)
[b>Advanced Techniques:
[b>Multi-Timeframe ORB: Assumes first 30-60 minutes establish value. Violation: Market opens after major news, price discovery continues for hours (opening range meaningless).
2. [b>Volume Indicates Conviction: ES, NQ, RTY, SPY, QQQ—high liquidity, clean ORB formation, reliable extensions
• [b>Large-Cap Stocks: AAPL, MSFT, TSLA, NVDA (>$5B market cap, >5M daily volume)
• [b>Liquid Futures: CL (crude oil), GC (gold), 6E (EUR/USD), ZB (bonds)—24hr markets benefit from session ORBs
• [b>Major Forex Pairs: [/b> EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY—London/NY session ORBs work well
[b>Performs Poorly On: [/b>
• [b>Illiquid Stocks: <$1M daily volume, wide spreads, gappy price action
• [b>Penny Stocks: [/b> Manipulated, pump-and-dump, no real price discovery
• [b>Low-Volume ETFs: Exotic sector ETFs, leveraged products with thin volume
• [b>Crypto on Sketchy Exchanges: Wash trading, spoofing invalidates volume analysis
• [b>Earnings Days: [/b> ORB completes before earnings release, then completely resets (useless)
• Binary Event Days: FDA approvals, court rulings—discontinuous price action
[b>Known Weaknesses: [/b>
• [b>Slow Starts: ORB doesn't complete until 10:00 AM (30-min ORB). Early morning traders have no signals for 30 minutes. Consider using 15-minute ORB if this is problematic.
• [b>Failure Detection Lag: [/b> Failed breakout requires 3+ bars to confirm. By the time system signals reversal, price may have already moved significantly back inside range. Manual traders watching in real-time can enter earlier.
• [b>Extension Overshoot: [/b> System projects extensions mathematically (1.5x, 2.0x, etc.). Actual moves may stop short (1.3x) or overshoot (2.2x). Extensions are targets, not magnets.
• [b>Day Type Misclassification: [/b> Early in session, day type is "Developing." By the time it's classified definitively (often 11:00 AM+), half the day is over. Strategy adjustments happen late.
• [b>Gap Assumptions: [/b> System assumes gaps want to fill. Strong trend days never fill gaps (gap becomes support/resistance forever). Blindly trading toward gaps can backfire on trend days.
• [b>Volume Data Quality: Forex doesn't have centralized volume (uses tick volume as proxy—less reliable). Crypto volume is often fake (wash trading). Volume confirmation less effective on these instruments.
• [b>Multi-Session Complexity: [/b> When using Asian/London/NY ORBs simultaneously, chart becomes cluttered. Requires discipline to focus on relevant session for current time.
[b>Risk Factors: [/b>
• [b>Opening Gaps: Large gaps (>2%) can create distorted ORBs. Opening range might be unusually wide or narrow, making extensions unreliable.
• [b>Low Volatility Environments:[/b> When VIX <12, opening ranges can be tiny (0.2-0.3%). Extensions are equally tiny. Profit targets don't justify commission/slippage.
• [b>High Volatility Environments:[/b> When VIX >30, opening ranges are huge (2-3%+). Extensions project unrealistic targets. Failed breakouts happen faster (volatility whipsaw).
• [b>Algorithm Dominance:[/b> In heavily algorithmic markets (ES during overnight session), ORB levels can be manipulated—algos pin price to ORB high/low intentionally. Breakouts become stop-runs rather than genuine directional moves.
[b>⚠️ RISK DISCLOSURE[/b>
Trading futures, stocks, options, forex, and cryptocurrencies involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Opening Range Breakout strategies, while based on sound market structure principles, do not guarantee profits and can result in significant losses.
The ORB Fusion indicator implements professional trading concepts including Opening Range theory, Market Profile Initial Balance analysis, Fibonacci extensions, and failed breakout reversal logic. These methodologies have theoretical foundations but past performance—whether backtested or live—is not indicative of future results.
Opening Range theory assumes the first 30-60 minutes of trading establish a meaningful value area and that breakouts from this range signal directional conviction. This assumption may not hold during:
• Major news events (FOMC, NFP, earnings surprises)
• Market structure changes (circuit breakers, trading halts)
• Low liquidity periods (holidays, early closures)
• Algorithmic manipulation or spoofing
Failed breakout detection relies on patterns of trapped participant behavior. While historically these patterns have shown statistical edges, market conditions change. Institutional algorithms, changing market structure, or regime shifts can reduce or eliminate edges that existed historically.
Initial Balance classification (trend day vs rotation day vs normal day) is a heuristic framework, not a deterministic prediction. Day type can change mid-session. Early classification may prove incorrect as the day develops.
Extension projections (1.272x, 1.5x, 1.618x, 2.0x, etc.) are probabilistic targets derived from Fibonacci ratios and empirical market behavior. They are not "support and resistance levels" that price must reach or respect. Markets can stop short of extensions, overshoot them, or ignore them entirely.
Volume confirmation assumes high volume indicates institutional participation and conviction. In algorithmic markets, volume can be artificially high (HFT activity) or artificially low (dark pools, internalization). Volume is a proxy, not a guarantee of conviction.
LTF precision sampling improves ORB accuracy by using 1-minute bars but introduces additional data dependencies. If 1-minute data is unavailable, inaccurate, or delayed, ORB calculations will be incorrect.
The grading system (A+/A/B+/B/C/D) and confidence scores aggregate multiple factors (volume, VWAP, day type, IB expansion, gap context) into a single assessment. This is a mechanical calculation, not artificial intelligence. The system cannot adapt to unprecedented market conditions or events outside its programmed logic.
Real trading involves slippage, commissions, latency, partial fills, and rejected orders not present in indicator calculations. ORB Fusion generates signals at bar close; actual fills occur with delay. Opening range forms during highest volatility (first 30 minutes)—spreads widen, slippage increases. Execution quality significantly impacts realized results.
Statistics tracking (win rates, extension levels reached, day type distribution) is based on historical bars in your lookback window. If lookback is small (<50 bars) or market regime changed, statistics may not represent future probabilities.
Users must independently validate system performance on their specific instruments, timeframes, and broker execution environment. Paper trade extensively (100+ trades minimum) before risking capital. Start with micro position sizing (5-10% of intended size) for 50+ trades to validate execution quality matches expectations.
Never risk more than you can afford to lose completely. Use proper position sizing (0.5-2% risk per trade maximum). Implement stop losses on every single trade without exception. Understand that most retail traders lose money—sophisticated indicators do not change this fundamental reality. They systematize analysis but cannot eliminate risk.
The developer makes no warranties regarding profitability, suitability, accuracy, reliability, or fitness for any purpose. Users assume full responsibility for all trading decisions, parameter selections, risk management, and outcomes.
By using this indicator, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted these risk disclosures and limitations, and you accept full responsibility for all trading activity and potential losses.
[b>═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════[/b>
[b>CLOSING STATEMENT[/b>
[b>═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════[/b>
Opening Range Breakout is not a trick. It's a framework. The first 30-60 minutes reveal where participants believe value lies. Breakouts signal directional conviction. Failures signal trapped participants. Extensions define profit targets. Day types dictate strategy. Failed breakouts create the highest-probability reversals.
ORB Fusion doesn't predict the future—it identifies [b>structure[/b>, detects [b>breakouts[/b>, recognizes [b>failures[/b>, and generates [b>probabilistic trade plans[/b> with defined risk and reward.
The edge is not in the opening range itself. The edge is in recognizing when the market respects structure (follow breakouts) versus when it violates structure (fade breakouts). The edge is in detecting failures faster than discretionary traders. The edge is in systematic classification that prevents catastrophic errors—like fading a trend day or holding through rotation.
Most indicators draw lines. ORB Fusion implements a complete institutional trading methodology: Opening Range theory, Market Profile classification, failed breakout intelligence, Fibonacci projections, volume confirmation, gap psychology, and real-time performance tracking.
Whether you're a beginner learning market structure or a professional seeking systematic ORB implementation, this system provides the framework.
"The market's first word is its opening range. Everything after is commentary." — ORB Fusion
Ray Dalio's All Weather Strategy - Portfolio CalculatorTHE ALL WEATHER STRATEGY INDICATOR: A GUIDE TO RAY DALIO'S LEGENDARY PORTFOLIO APPROACH
Introduction: The Genesis of Financial Resilience
In the sprawling corridors of Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund managing over 150 billion dollars in assets, Ray Dalio conceived what would become one of the most influential investment strategies of the modern era. The All Weather Strategy, born from decades of market observation and rigorous backtesting, represents a paradigm shift from traditional portfolio construction methods that have dominated Wall Street since Harry Markowitz's seminal work on Modern Portfolio Theory in 1952.
Unlike conventional approaches that chase returns through market timing or stock picking, the All Weather Strategy embraces a fundamental truth that has humbled countless investors throughout history: nobody can consistently predict the future direction of markets. Instead of fighting this uncertainty, Dalio's approach harnesses it, creating a portfolio designed to perform reasonably well across all economic environments, hence the evocative name "All Weather."
The strategy emerged from Bridgewater's extensive research into economic cycles and asset class behavior, culminating in what Dalio describes as "the Holy Grail of investing" in his bestselling book "Principles" (Dalio, 2017). This Holy Grail isn't about achieving spectacular returns, but rather about achieving consistent, risk-adjusted returns that compound steadily over time, much like the tortoise defeating the hare in Aesop's timeless fable.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION
The All Weather Strategy's origins trace back to the tumultuous economic periods of the 1970s and 1980s, when traditional portfolio construction methods proved inadequate for navigating simultaneous inflation and recession. Raymond Thomas Dalio, born in 1949 in Queens, New York, founded Bridgewater Associates from his Manhattan apartment in 1975, initially focusing on currency and fixed-income consulting for corporate clients.
Dalio's early experiences during the 1970s stagflation period profoundly shaped his investment philosophy. Unlike many of his contemporaries who viewed inflation and deflation as opposing forces, Dalio recognized that both conditions could coexist with either economic growth or contraction, creating four distinct economic environments rather than the traditional two-factor models that dominated academic finance.
The conceptual breakthrough came in the late 1980s when Dalio began systematically analyzing asset class performance across different economic regimes. Working with a small team of researchers, Bridgewater developed sophisticated models that decomposed economic conditions into growth and inflation components, then mapped historical asset class returns against these regimes. This research revealed that traditional portfolio construction, heavily weighted toward stocks and bonds, left investors vulnerable to specific economic scenarios.
The formal All Weather Strategy emerged in 1996 when Bridgewater was approached by a wealthy family seeking a portfolio that could protect their wealth across various economic conditions without requiring active management or market timing. Unlike Bridgewater's flagship Pure Alpha fund, which relied on active trading and leverage, the All Weather approach needed to be completely passive and unleveraged while still providing adequate diversification.
Dalio and his team spent months developing and testing various allocation schemes, ultimately settling on the 30/40/15/7.5/7.5 framework that balances risk contributions rather than dollar amounts. This approach was revolutionary because it focused on risk budgeting—ensuring that no single asset class dominated the portfolio's risk profile—rather than the traditional approach of equal dollar allocations or market-cap weighting.
The strategy's first institutional implementation began in 1996 with a family office client, followed by gradual expansion to other wealthy families and eventually institutional investors. By 2005, Bridgewater was managing over $15 billion in All Weather assets, making it one of the largest systematic strategy implementations in institutional investing.
The 2008 financial crisis provided the ultimate test of the All Weather methodology. While the S&P 500 declined by 37% and many hedge funds suffered double-digit losses, the All Weather strategy generated positive returns, validating Dalio's risk-balancing approach. This performance during extreme market stress attracted significant institutional attention, leading to rapid asset growth in subsequent years.
The strategy's theoretical foundations evolved throughout the 2000s as Bridgewater's research team, led by co-chief investment officers Greg Jensen and Bob Prince, refined the economic framework and incorporated insights from behavioral economics and complexity theory. Their research, published in numerous institutional white papers, demonstrated that traditional portfolio optimization methods consistently underperformed simpler risk-balanced approaches across various time periods and market conditions.
Academic validation came through partnerships with leading business schools and collaboration with prominent economists. The strategy's risk parity principles influenced an entire generation of institutional investors, leading to the creation of numerous risk parity funds managing hundreds of billions in aggregate assets.
In recent years, the democratization of sophisticated financial tools has made All Weather-style investing accessible to individual investors through ETFs and systematic platforms. The availability of high-quality, low-cost ETFs covering each required asset class has eliminated many of the barriers that previously limited sophisticated portfolio construction to institutional investors.
The development of advanced portfolio management software and platforms like TradingView has further democratized access to institutional-quality analytics and implementation tools. The All Weather Strategy Indicator represents the culmination of this trend, providing individual investors with capabilities that previously required teams of portfolio managers and risk analysts.
Understanding the Four Economic Seasons
The All Weather Strategy's theoretical foundation rests on Dalio's observation that all economic environments can be characterized by two primary variables: economic growth and inflation. These variables create four distinct "economic seasons," each favoring different asset classes. Rising growth benefits stocks and commodities, while falling growth favors bonds. Rising inflation helps commodities and inflation-protected securities, while falling inflation benefits nominal bonds and stocks.
This framework, detailed extensively in Bridgewater's research papers from the 1990s, suggests that by holding assets that perform well in each economic season, an investor can create a portfolio that remains resilient regardless of which season unfolds. The elegance lies not in predicting which season will occur, but in being prepared for all of them simultaneously.
Academic research supports this multi-environment approach. Ang and Bekaert (2002) demonstrated that regime changes in economic conditions significantly impact asset returns, while Fama and French (2004) showed that different asset classes exhibit varying sensitivities to economic factors. The All Weather Strategy essentially operationalizes these academic insights into a practical investment framework.
The Original All Weather Allocation: Simplicity Masquerading as Sophistication
The core All Weather portfolio, as implemented by Bridgewater for institutional clients and later adapted for retail investors, maintains a deceptively simple static allocation: 30% stocks, 40% long-term bonds, 15% intermediate-term bonds, 7.5% commodities, and 7.5% Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). This allocation may appear arbitrary to the uninitiated, but each percentage reflects careful consideration of historical volatilities, correlations, and economic sensitivities.
The 30% stock allocation provides growth exposure while limiting the portfolio's overall volatility. Stocks historically deliver superior long-term returns but with significant volatility, as evidenced by the Standard & Poor's 500 Index's average annual return of approximately 10% since 1926, accompanied by standard deviation exceeding 15% (Ibbotson Associates, 2023). By limiting stock exposure to 30%, the portfolio captures much of the equity risk premium while avoiding excessive volatility.
The combined 55% allocation to bonds (40% long-term plus 15% intermediate-term) serves as the portfolio's stabilizing force. Long-term bonds provide substantial interest rate sensitivity, performing well during economic slowdowns when central banks reduce rates. Intermediate-term bonds offer a balance between interest rate sensitivity and reduced duration risk. This bond-heavy allocation reflects Dalio's insight that bonds typically exhibit lower volatility than stocks while providing essential diversification benefits.
The 7.5% commodities allocation addresses inflation protection, as commodity prices typically rise during inflationary periods. Historical analysis by Bodie and Rosansky (1980) demonstrated that commodities provide meaningful diversification benefits and inflation hedging capabilities, though with considerable volatility. The relatively small allocation reflects commodities' high volatility and mixed long-term returns.
Finally, the 7.5% TIPS allocation provides explicit inflation protection through government-backed securities whose principal and interest payments adjust with inflation. Introduced by the U.S. Treasury in 1997, TIPS have proven effective inflation hedges, though they underperform nominal bonds during deflationary periods (Campbell & Viceira, 2001).
Historical Performance: The Evidence Speaks
Analyzing the All Weather Strategy's historical performance reveals both its strengths and limitations. Using monthly return data from 1970 to 2023, spanning over five decades of varying economic conditions, the strategy has delivered compelling risk-adjusted returns while experiencing lower volatility than traditional stock-heavy portfolios.
During this period, the All Weather allocation generated an average annual return of approximately 8.2%, compared to 10.5% for the S&P 500 Index. However, the strategy's annual volatility measured just 9.1%, substantially lower than the S&P 500's 15.8% volatility. This translated to a Sharpe ratio of 0.67 for the All Weather Strategy versus 0.54 for the S&P 500, indicating superior risk-adjusted performance.
More impressively, the strategy's maximum drawdown over this period was 12.3%, occurring during the 2008 financial crisis, compared to the S&P 500's maximum drawdown of 50.9% during the same period. This drawdown mitigation proves crucial for long-term wealth building, as Stein and DeMuth (2003) demonstrated that avoiding large losses significantly impacts compound returns over time.
The strategy performed particularly well during periods of economic stress. During the 1970s stagflation, when stocks and bonds both struggled, the All Weather portfolio's commodity and TIPS allocations provided essential protection. Similarly, during the 2000-2002 dot-com crash and the 2008 financial crisis, the portfolio's bond-heavy allocation cushioned losses while maintaining positive returns in several years when stocks declined significantly.
However, the strategy underperformed during sustained bull markets, particularly the 1990s technology boom and the 2010s post-financial crisis recovery. This underperformance reflects the strategy's conservative nature and diversified approach, which sacrifices potential upside for downside protection. As Dalio frequently emphasizes, the All Weather Strategy prioritizes "not losing money" over "making a lot of money."
Implementing the All Weather Strategy: A Practical Guide
The All Weather Strategy Indicator transforms Dalio's institutional-grade approach into an accessible tool for individual investors. The indicator provides real-time portfolio tracking, rebalancing signals, and performance analytics, eliminating much of the complexity traditionally associated with implementing sophisticated allocation strategies.
To begin implementation, investors must first determine their investable capital. As detailed analysis reveals, the All Weather Strategy requires meaningful capital to implement effectively due to transaction costs, minimum investment requirements, and the need for precise allocations across five different asset classes.
For portfolios below $50,000, the strategy becomes challenging to implement efficiently. Transaction costs consume a disproportionate share of returns, while the inability to purchase fractional shares creates allocation drift. Consider an investor with $25,000 attempting to allocate 7.5% to commodities through the iPath Bloomberg Commodity Index ETF (DJP), currently trading around $25 per share. This allocation targets $1,875, enough for only 75 shares, creating immediate tracking error.
At $50,000, implementation becomes feasible but not optimal. The 30% stock allocation ($15,000) purchases approximately 37 shares of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at current prices around $400 per share. The 40% long-term bond allocation ($20,000) buys 200 shares of the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at approximately $100 per share. While workable, these allocations leave significant cash drag and rebalancing challenges.
The optimal minimum for individual implementation appears to be $100,000. At this level, each allocation becomes substantial enough for precise implementation while keeping transaction costs below 0.4% annually. The $30,000 stock allocation, $40,000 long-term bond allocation, $15,000 intermediate-term bond allocation, $7,500 commodity allocation, and $7,500 TIPS allocation each provide sufficient size for effective management.
For investors with $250,000 or more, the strategy implementation approaches institutional quality. Allocation precision improves, transaction costs decline as a percentage of assets, and rebalancing becomes highly efficient. These larger portfolios can also consider adding complexity through international diversification or alternative implementations.
The indicator recommends quarterly rebalancing to balance transaction costs with allocation discipline. Monthly rebalancing increases costs without substantial benefits for most investors, while annual rebalancing allows excessive drift that can meaningfully impact performance. Quarterly rebalancing, typically on the first trading day of each quarter, provides an optimal balance.
Understanding the Indicator's Functionality
The All Weather Strategy Indicator operates as a comprehensive portfolio management system, providing multiple analytical layers that professional money managers typically reserve for institutional clients. This sophisticated tool transforms Ray Dalio's institutional-grade strategy into an accessible platform for individual investors, offering features that rival professional portfolio management software.
The indicator's core architecture consists of several interconnected modules that work seamlessly together to provide complete portfolio oversight. At its foundation lies a real-time portfolio simulation engine that tracks the exact value of each ETF position based on current market prices, eliminating the need for manual calculations or external spreadsheets.
DETAILED INDICATOR COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS
Portfolio Configuration Module
The portfolio setup begins with the Portfolio Configuration section, which establishes the fundamental parameters for strategy implementation. The Portfolio Capital input accepts values from $1,000 to $10,000,000, accommodating everyone from beginning investors to institutional clients. This input directly drives all subsequent calculations, determining exact share quantities and portfolio values throughout the implementation period.
The Portfolio Start Date function allows users to specify when they began implementing the All Weather Strategy, creating a clear demarcation point for performance tracking. This feature proves essential for investors who want to track their actual implementation against theoretical performance, providing realistic assessment of strategy effectiveness including timing differences and implementation costs.
Rebalancing Frequency settings offer two options: Monthly and Quarterly. While monthly rebalancing provides more precise allocation control, quarterly rebalancing typically proves more cost-effective for most investors due to reduced transaction costs. The indicator automatically detects the first trading day of each period, ensuring rebalancing occurs at optimal times regardless of weekends, holidays, or market closures.
The Rebalancing Threshold parameter, adjustable from 0.5% to 10%, determines when allocation drift triggers rebalancing recommendations. Conservative settings like 1-2% maintain tight allocation control but increase trading frequency, while wider thresholds like 3-5% reduce trading costs but allow greater allocation drift. This flexibility accommodates different risk tolerances and cost structures.
Visual Display System
The Show All Weather Calculator toggle controls the main dashboard visibility, allowing users to focus on chart visualization when detailed metrics aren't needed. When enabled, this comprehensive dashboard displays current portfolio value, individual ETF allocations, target versus actual weights, rebalancing status, and performance metrics in a professionally formatted table.
Economic Environment Display provides context about current market conditions based on growth and inflation indicators. While simplified compared to Bridgewater's sophisticated regime detection, this feature helps users understand which economic "season" currently prevails and which asset classes should theoretically benefit.
Rebalancing Signals illuminate when portfolio drift exceeds user-defined thresholds, highlighting specific ETFs that require adjustment. These signals use color coding to indicate urgency: green for balanced allocations, yellow for moderate drift, and red for significant deviations requiring immediate attention.
Advanced Label System
The rebalancing label system represents one of the indicator's most innovative features, providing three distinct detail levels to accommodate different user needs and experience levels. The "None" setting displays simple symbols marking portfolio start and rebalancing events without cluttering the chart with text. This minimal approach suits experienced investors who understand the implications of each symbol.
"Basic" label mode shows essential information including portfolio values at each rebalancing point, enabling quick assessment of strategy performance over time. These labels display "START $X" for portfolio initiation and "RBL $Y" for rebalancing events, providing clear performance tracking without overwhelming detail.
"Detailed" labels provide comprehensive trading instructions including exact buy and sell quantities for each ETF. These labels might display "RBL $125,000 BUY 15 SPY SELL 25 TLT BUY 8 IEF NO TRADES DJP SELL 12 SCHP" providing complete implementation guidance. This feature essentially transforms the indicator into a personal portfolio manager, eliminating guesswork about exact trades required.
Professional Color Themes
Eight professionally designed color themes adapt the indicator's appearance to different aesthetic preferences and market analysis styles. The "Gold" theme reflects traditional wealth management aesthetics, while "EdgeTools" provides modern professional appearance. "Behavioral" uses psychologically informed colors that reinforce disciplined decision-making, while "Quant" employs high-contrast combinations favored by quantitative analysts.
"Ocean," "Fire," "Matrix," and "Arctic" themes provide distinctive visual identities for traders who prefer unique chart aesthetics. Each theme automatically adjusts for dark or light mode optimization, ensuring optimal readability across different TradingView configurations.
Real-Time Portfolio Tracking
The portfolio simulation engine continuously tracks five separate ETF positions: SPY for stocks, TLT for long-term bonds, IEF for intermediate-term bonds, DJP for commodities, and SCHP for TIPS. Each position's value updates in real-time based on current market prices, providing instant feedback about portfolio performance and allocation drift.
Current share calculations determine exact holdings based on the most recent rebalancing, while target shares reflect optimal allocation based on current portfolio value. Trade calculations show precisely how many shares to buy or sell during rebalancing, eliminating manual calculations and potential errors.
Performance Analytics Suite
The indicator's performance measurement capabilities rival professional portfolio analysis software. Sharpe ratio calculations incorporate current risk-free rates obtained from Treasury yield data, providing accurate risk-adjusted performance assessment. Volatility measurements use rolling periods to capture changing market conditions while maintaining statistical significance.
Portfolio return calculations track both absolute and relative performance, comparing the All Weather implementation against individual asset classes and benchmark indices. These metrics update continuously, providing real-time assessment of strategy effectiveness and implementation quality.
Data Quality Monitoring
Sophisticated data quality checks ensure reliable indicator operation across different market conditions and potential data interruptions. The system monitors all five ETF price feeds plus economic data sources, providing quality scores that alert users to potential data issues that might affect calculations.
When data quality degrades, the indicator automatically switches to fallback values or alternative data sources, maintaining functionality during temporary market data interruptions. This robust design ensures consistent operation even during volatile market conditions when data feeds occasionally experience disruptions.
Risk Management and Behavioral Considerations
Despite its sophisticated design, the All Weather Strategy faces behavioral challenges that have derailed countless well-intentioned investment plans. The strategy's conservative nature means it will underperform growth stocks during bull markets, potentially by substantial margins. Maintaining discipline during these periods requires understanding that the strategy optimizes for risk-adjusted returns over absolute returns.
Behavioral finance research by Kahneman and Tversky (1979) demonstrates that investors feel losses approximately twice as intensely as equivalent gains. This loss aversion creates powerful psychological pressure to abandon defensive strategies during bull markets when aggressive portfolios appear more attractive. The All Weather Strategy's bond-heavy allocation will seem overly conservative when technology stocks double in value, as occurred repeatedly during the 2010s.
Conversely, the strategy's defensive characteristics provide psychological comfort during market stress. When stocks crash 30-50%, as they periodically do, the All Weather portfolio's modest losses feel manageable rather than catastrophic. This emotional stability enables investors to maintain their investment discipline when others capitulate, often at the worst possible times.
Rebalancing discipline presents another behavioral challenge. Selling winners to buy losers contradicts natural human tendencies but remains essential for the strategy's success. When stocks have outperformed bonds for several quarters, rebalancing requires selling high-performing stock positions to purchase seemingly stagnant bond positions. This action feels counterintuitive but captures the strategy's systematic approach to risk management.
Tax considerations add complexity for taxable accounts. Frequent rebalancing generates taxable events that can erode after-tax returns, particularly for high-income investors facing elevated capital gains rates. Tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs provide ideal vehicles for All Weather implementation, eliminating tax friction from rebalancing activities.
Capital Requirements and Cost Analysis
Comprehensive cost analysis reveals the capital requirements for effective All Weather implementation. Annual expenses include management fees for each ETF, transaction costs from rebalancing, and bid-ask spreads from trading less liquid securities.
ETF expense ratios vary significantly across asset classes. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF charges 0.09% annually, while the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF charges 0.20%. The iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF charges 0.15%, the Schwab US TIPS ETF charges 0.05%, and the iPath Bloomberg Commodity Index ETF charges 0.75%. Weighted by the All Weather allocations, total expense ratios average approximately 0.19% annually.
Transaction costs depend heavily on broker selection and account size. Premium brokers like Interactive Brokers charge $1-2 per trade, resulting in $20-40 annually for quarterly rebalancing. Discount brokers may charge higher per-trade fees but offer commission-free ETF trading for selected funds. Zero-commission brokers eliminate explicit trading costs but often impose wider bid-ask spreads that function as hidden fees.
Bid-ask spreads represent the difference between buying and selling prices for each security. Highly liquid ETFs like SPY maintain spreads of 1-2 basis points, while less liquid commodity ETFs may exhibit spreads of 5-10 basis points. These costs accumulate through rebalancing activities, typically totaling 10-15 basis points annually.
For a $100,000 portfolio, total annual costs including expense ratios, transaction fees, and spreads typically range from 0.35% to 0.45%, or $350-450 annually. These costs decline as a percentage of assets as portfolio size increases, reaching approximately 0.25% for portfolios exceeding $250,000.
Comparing costs to potential benefits reveals the strategy's value proposition. Historical analysis suggests the All Weather approach reduces portfolio volatility by 35-40% compared to stock-heavy allocations while maintaining competitive returns. This volatility reduction provides substantial value during market stress, potentially preventing behavioral mistakes that destroy long-term wealth.
Alternative Implementations and Customizations
While the original All Weather allocation provides an excellent starting point, investors may consider modifications based on personal circumstances, market conditions, or geographic considerations. International diversification represents one potential enhancement, adding exposure to developed and emerging market bonds and equities.
Geographic customization becomes important for non-US investors. European investors might replace US Treasury bonds with German Bunds or broader European government bond indices. Currency hedging decisions add complexity but may reduce volatility for investors whose spending occurs in non-dollar currencies.
Tax-location strategies optimize after-tax returns by placing tax-inefficient assets in tax-advantaged accounts while holding tax-efficient assets in taxable accounts. TIPS and commodity ETFs generate ordinary income taxed at higher rates, making them candidates for retirement account placement. Stock ETFs generate qualified dividends and long-term capital gains taxed at lower rates, making them suitable for taxable accounts.
Some investors prefer implementing the bond allocation through individual Treasury securities rather than ETFs, eliminating management fees while gaining precise maturity control. Treasury auctions provide access to new securities without bid-ask spreads, though this approach requires more sophisticated portfolio management.
Factor-based implementations replace broad market ETFs with factor-tilted alternatives. Value-tilted stock ETFs, quality-focused bond ETFs, or momentum-based commodity indices may enhance returns while maintaining the All Weather framework's diversification benefits. However, these modifications introduce additional complexity and potential tracking error.
Conclusion: Embracing the Long Game
The All Weather Strategy represents more than an investment approach; it embodies a philosophy of financial resilience that prioritizes sustainable wealth building over speculative gains. In an investment landscape increasingly dominated by algorithmic trading, meme stocks, and cryptocurrency volatility, Dalio's methodical approach offers a refreshing alternative grounded in economic theory and historical evidence.
The strategy's greatest strength lies not in its potential for extraordinary returns, but in its capacity to deliver reasonable returns across diverse economic environments while protecting capital during market stress. This characteristic becomes increasingly valuable as investors approach or enter retirement, when portfolio preservation assumes greater importance than aggressive growth.
Implementation requires discipline, adequate capital, and realistic expectations. The strategy will underperform growth-oriented approaches during bull markets while providing superior downside protection during bear markets. Investors must embrace this trade-off consciously, understanding that the strategy optimizes for long-term wealth building rather than short-term performance.
The All Weather Strategy Indicator democratizes access to institutional-quality portfolio management, providing individual investors with tools previously available only to wealthy families and institutions. By automating allocation tracking, rebalancing signals, and performance analysis, the indicator removes much of the complexity that has historically limited sophisticated strategy implementation.
For investors seeking a systematic, evidence-based approach to long-term wealth building, the All Weather Strategy provides a compelling framework. Its emphasis on diversification, risk management, and behavioral discipline aligns with the fundamental principles that have created lasting wealth throughout financial history. While the strategy may not generate headlines or inspire cocktail party conversations, it offers something more valuable: a reliable path toward financial security across all economic seasons.
As Dalio himself notes, "The biggest mistake investors make is to believe that what happened in the recent past is likely to persist, and they design their portfolios accordingly." The All Weather Strategy's enduring appeal lies in its rejection of this recency bias, instead embracing the uncertainty of markets while positioning for success regardless of which economic season unfolds.
STEP-BY-STEP INDICATOR SETUP GUIDE
Setting up the All Weather Strategy Indicator requires careful attention to each configuration parameter to ensure optimal implementation. This comprehensive setup guide walks through every setting and explains its impact on strategy performance.
Initial Setup Process
Begin by adding the indicator to your TradingView chart. Search for "Ray Dalio's All Weather Strategy" in the indicator library and apply it to any chart. The indicator operates independently of the underlying chart symbol, drawing data directly from the five required ETFs regardless of which security appears on the chart.
Portfolio Configuration Settings
Start with the Portfolio Capital input, which drives all subsequent calculations. Enter your exact investable capital, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000,000. This input determines share quantities, trade recommendations, and performance calculations. Conservative recommendations suggest minimum capitals of $50,000 for basic implementation or $100,000 for optimal precision.
Select your Portfolio Start Date carefully, as this establishes the baseline for all performance calculations. Choose the date when you actually began implementing the All Weather Strategy, not when you first learned about it. This date should reflect when you first purchased ETFs according to the target allocation, creating realistic performance tracking.
Choose your Rebalancing Frequency based on your cost structure and precision preferences. Monthly rebalancing provides tighter allocation control but increases transaction costs. Quarterly rebalancing offers the optimal balance for most investors between allocation precision and cost control. The indicator automatically detects appropriate trading days regardless of your selection.
Set the Rebalancing Threshold based on your tolerance for allocation drift and transaction costs. Conservative investors preferring tight control should use 1-2% thresholds, while cost-conscious investors may prefer 3-5% thresholds. Lower thresholds maintain more precise allocations but trigger more frequent trading.
Display Configuration Options
Enable Show All Weather Calculator to display the comprehensive dashboard containing portfolio values, allocations, and performance metrics. This dashboard provides essential information for portfolio management and should remain enabled for most users.
Show Economic Environment displays current economic regime classification based on growth and inflation indicators. While simplified compared to Bridgewater's sophisticated models, this feature provides useful context for understanding current market conditions.
Show Rebalancing Signals highlights when portfolio allocations drift beyond your threshold settings. These signals use color coding to indicate urgency levels, helping prioritize rebalancing activities.
Advanced Label Customization
Configure Show Rebalancing Labels based on your need for chart annotations. These labels mark important portfolio events and can provide valuable historical context, though they may clutter charts during extended time periods.
Select appropriate Label Detail Levels based on your experience and information needs. "None" provides minimal symbols suitable for experienced users. "Basic" shows portfolio values at key events. "Detailed" provides complete trading instructions including exact share quantities for each ETF.
Appearance Customization
Choose Color Themes based on your aesthetic preferences and trading style. "Gold" reflects traditional wealth management appearance, while "EdgeTools" provides modern professional styling. "Behavioral" uses psychologically informed colors that reinforce disciplined decision-making.
Enable Dark Mode Optimization if using TradingView's dark theme for optimal readability and contrast. This setting automatically adjusts all colors and transparency levels for the selected theme.
Set Main Line Width based on your chart resolution and visual preferences. Higher width values provide clearer allocation lines but may overwhelm smaller charts. Most users prefer width settings of 2-3 for optimal visibility.
Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues
If the indicator displays "Data not available" messages, verify that all five ETFs (SPY, TLT, IEF, DJP, SCHP) have valid price data on your selected timeframe. The indicator requires daily data availability for all components.
When rebalancing signals seem inconsistent, check your threshold settings and ensure sufficient time has passed since the last rebalancing event. The indicator only triggers signals on designated rebalancing days (first trading day of each period) when drift exceeds threshold levels.
If labels appear at unexpected chart locations, verify that your chart displays percentage values rather than price values. The indicator forces percentage formatting and 0-40% scaling for optimal allocation visualization.
COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING
PRIMARY SOURCES AND RAY DALIO WORKS
Dalio, R. (2017). Principles: Life and work. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Dalio, R. (2018). A template for understanding big debt crises. Bridgewater Associates.
Dalio, R. (2021). Principles for dealing with the changing world order: Why nations succeed and fail. New York: Simon & Schuster.
BRIDGEWATER ASSOCIATES RESEARCH PAPERS
Jensen, G., Kertesz, A. & Prince, B. (2010). All Weather strategy: Bridgewater's approach to portfolio construction. Bridgewater Associates Research.
Prince, B. (2011). An in-depth look at the investment logic behind the All Weather strategy. Bridgewater Associates Daily Observations.
Bridgewater Associates. (2015). Risk parity in the context of larger portfolio construction. Institutional Research.
ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON RISK PARITY AND PORTFOLIO CONSTRUCTION
Ang, A. & Bekaert, G. (2002). International asset allocation with regime shifts. The Review of Financial Studies, 15(4), 1137-1187.
Bodie, Z. & Rosansky, V. I. (1980). Risk and return in commodity futures. Financial Analysts Journal, 36(3), 27-39.
Campbell, J. Y. & Viceira, L. M. (2001). Who should buy long-term bonds? American Economic Review, 91(1), 99-127.
Clarke, R., De Silva, H. & Thorley, S. (2013). Risk parity, maximum diversification, and minimum variance: An analytic perspective. Journal of Portfolio Management, 39(3), 39-53.
Fama, E. F. & French, K. R. (2004). The capital asset pricing model: Theory and evidence. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 18(3), 25-46.
BEHAVIORAL FINANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES
Kahneman, D. & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263-292.
Thaler, R. H. & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Montier, J. (2007). Behavioural investing: A practitioner's guide to applying behavioural finance. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
MODERN PORTFOLIO THEORY AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS
Markowitz, H. (1952). Portfolio selection. The Journal of Finance, 7(1), 77-91.
Sharpe, W. F. (1964). Capital asset prices: A theory of market equilibrium under conditions of risk. The Journal of Finance, 19(3), 425-442.
Black, F. & Litterman, R. (1992). Global portfolio optimization. Financial Analysts Journal, 48(5), 28-43.
PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION AND ETF ANALYSIS
Gastineau, G. L. (2010). The exchange-traded funds manual. 2nd ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Poterba, J. M. & Shoven, J. B. (2002). Exchange-traded funds: A new investment option for taxable investors. American Economic Review, 92(2), 422-427.
Israelsen, C. L. (2005). A refinement to the Sharpe ratio and information ratio. Journal of Asset Management, 5(6), 423-427.
ECONOMIC CYCLE ANALYSIS AND ASSET CLASS RESEARCH
Ilmanen, A. (2011). Expected returns: An investor's guide to harvesting market rewards. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Swensen, D. F. (2009). Pioneering portfolio management: An unconventional approach to institutional investment. Rev. ed. New York: Free Press.
Siegel, J. J. (2014). Stocks for the long run: The definitive guide to financial market returns & long-term investment strategies. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
RISK MANAGEMENT AND ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
Taleb, N. N. (2007). The black swan: The impact of the highly improbable. New York: Random House.
Lowenstein, R. (2000). When genius failed: The rise and fall of Long-Term Capital Management. New York: Random House.
Stein, D. M. & DeMuth, P. (2003). Systematic withdrawal from retirement portfolios: The impact of asset allocation decisions on portfolio longevity. AAII Journal, 25(7), 8-12.
CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Asness, C. S., Frazzini, A. & Pedersen, L. H. (2012). Leverage aversion and risk parity. Financial Analysts Journal, 68(1), 47-59.
Roncalli, T. (2013). Introduction to risk parity and budgeting. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Ibbotson Associates. (2023). Stocks, bonds, bills, and inflation 2023 yearbook. Chicago: Morningstar.
PERIODICALS AND ONGOING RESEARCH
Journal of Portfolio Management - Quarterly publication featuring cutting-edge research on portfolio construction and risk management
Financial Analysts Journal - Bi-monthly publication of the CFA Institute with practical investment research
Bridgewater Associates Daily Observations - Regular market commentary and research from the creators of the All Weather Strategy
RECOMMENDED READING SEQUENCE
For investors new to the All Weather Strategy, begin with Dalio's "Principles" for philosophical foundation, then proceed to the Bridgewater research papers for technical details. Supplement with Markowitz's original portfolio theory work and behavioral finance literature from Kahneman and Tversky.
Intermediate students should focus on academic papers by Ang & Bekaert on regime shifts, Clarke et al. on risk parity methods, and Ilmanen's comprehensive analysis of expected returns across asset classes.
Advanced practitioners will benefit from Roncalli's technical treatment of risk parity mathematics, Asness et al.'s academic critique of leverage aversion, and ongoing research in the Journal of Portfolio Management.
Volume Profile (Simple)Simple Volume Profile (Simple)
Master the Market's Structure with a Clear View of Volume
by mercaderoaurum
The Simple Volume Profile (Simple) indicator removes the guesswork by showing you exactly where the most significant trading activity has occurred. By visualizing the Point of Control (POC) and Value Area (VA) for today and yesterday, you can instantly identify the price levels that matter most, giving you a critical edge in your intraday trading.
This tool is specifically optimized for day trading SPY on a 1-minute chart, but it's fully customizable for any symbol or timeframe.
Key Features
Multi-Day Analysis: Automatically plots the volume profiles for the current and previous trading sessions, allowing you to see how today's market is reacting to yesterday's key levels.
Automatic Key Level Plotting: Instantly see the most important levels from each session:
Point of Control (POC): The single price level with the highest traded volume, acting as a powerful magnet for price.
Value Area High (VAH): The upper boundary of the area where 50% of the volume was traded. It often acts as resistance.
Value Area Low (VAL): The lower boundary of the 50% value area, often acting as support.
Extended Levels: The POC, VAH, and VAL from previous sessions are automatically extended into the current day, providing a clear map of potential support and resistance zones.
Customizable Sessions: While optimized for the US stock market, you can define any session time and time zone, making it a versatile tool for forex, crypto, and futures traders.
Core Trading Strategies
The Simple Volume Profile helps you understand market context. Instead of trading blind, you can now make decisions based on where the market has shown the most interest.
1. Identifying Support and Resistance
This is the most direct way to use the indicator. The extended lines from the previous day are your roadmap for the current session.
Previous Day's POC (pPOC): This is the most significant level. Watch for price to react strongly here. It can act as powerful support if approached from above or strong resistance if approached from below.
Previous Day's VAH (pVAH): Expect this level to act as initial resistance. A clean break above pVAH can signal a strong bullish trend.
Previous Day's VAL (pVAL): Expect this level to act as initial support. A firm break below pVAL can indicate a strong bearish trend.
Example Strategy: If SPY opens and rallies up to the previous day's VAH and stalls, this is a high-probability area to look for a short entry, with a stop loss just above the level.
2. The "Open-Drive" Rejection
How the market opens in relation to the previous day's value area is a powerful tell.
Open Above Yesterday's Value Area: If the market opens above the pVAH, it signals strength. The first pullback to test the pVAH is often a key long entry point. The level is expected to flip from resistance to support.
Open Below Yesterday's Value Area: If the market opens below the pVAL, it signals weakness. The first rally to test the pVAL is a potential short entry, as the level is likely to act as new resistance.
3. Fading the Extremes
When price pushes far outside the previous day's value area, it can become overextended.
Reversal at Highs: If price rallies significantly above the pVAH and then starts to lose momentum (e.g., forming bearish divergence on RSI or a topping pattern), it could be an opportunity to short the market, targeting a move back toward the pVAH or pPOC.
Reversal at Lows: Conversely, if price drops far below the pVAL and shows signs of bottoming, it can be a good opportunity to look for a long entry, targeting a reversion back to the value area.
Recommended Settings (SPY Intraday)
These settings are the default and are optimized for scalping or day trading SPY on a 1-minute chart.
Value Area (%): 50%. This creates a tighter, more sensitive value area, perfect for identifying the most critical intraday zones.
Number of Rows: 1000. This high resolution is essential for a low-volatility instrument like SPY, ensuring that the profile is detailed and the levels are precise.
Session Time: 0400-1800 in America/New_York. This captures the full pre-market and core session, which is crucial for understanding the day's complete volume story.
Ready to trade with an edge? Add the Simple Volume Profile (Multi-Day) to your chart now and see the market in a new light!
Options Strategy V2.0📈 Options Strategy V2.0 – Intraday Reversal-Resilient Momentum System
Overview:
This strategy is designed specifically for intraday SPY, TSLA, MSFT, etc. options trading (0DTE or 1DTE), using high-probability signals derived from a confluence of technical indicators: EMA crossovers, RSI thresholds, ATR-based risk control, and volume spikes. The strategy aims to capture strong directional moves while avoiding overtrading, thanks to a built-in cooldown logic and optional time/session filters.
⚙️ Core Concept
The strategy executes trades only in the direction of the prevailing trend, determined by short- and long-term Exponential Moving Averages (EMA). Entry signals are generated when the Relative Strength Index (RSI) confirms momentum in the direction of the trend, and volume spikes suggest institutional activity.
To increase adaptability and user control, it includes a highly customizable parameter set for both long and short entries independently.
📌 Key Features
✅ Trend-Following Logic
Long entries are only allowed when EMA(short) > EMA(long)
Short entries are only allowed when EMA(short) < EMA(long)
✅ RSI Confirmation
Long: Requires RSI crossover above a configurable threshold
Short: Requires RSI crossunder below a configurable threshold
Optional rejection filters: Entry blocked above/below specific RSI extremes
✅ Volume Spike Filter
Confirms institutional participation by comparing current volume to an average multiplied by a user-defined factor.
✅ ATR-Based Risk Management
Both Stop Loss (SL) and Take Profit (TP) are dynamically calculated using ATR × a multiplier.
TP/SL ratio is fully configurable.
✅ Cooldown Control
After every trade, the system waits for a set number of bars before allowing new entries.
This prevents overtrading and increases signal quality.
Optionally, cooldown is ignored for reversal trades, ensuring the system can react immediately to a confirmed trend change.
✅ Candle Body Filter (Noise Control)
Avoids trades on candles with too small bodies relative to wicks (often noise or indecision candles).
✅ VWAP Confirmation (Optional)
Ensures price is trading above VWAP for long entries, or below for short entries.
✅ Time & Session Filters
Trades only during regular market hours (09:30–16:00 EST).
No-trade zone (e.g., 14:15–15:45 EST) to avoid low-liquidity traps or late-day whipsaws.
✅ End-of-Day Auto Close
All open positions are force-closed at 15:55 EST, protecting against overnight risk (especially relevant for 0DTE options).
📊 Visual Aids
EMA plots show trend direction
VWAP line provides real-time mean-reversion context
Stop Loss and Take Profit lines appear dynamically with each trade
Alerts notify of entry signals and exit triggers
🔧 Customization Panel
Nearly every element of the strategy can be tailored:
EMA lengths (short and long, for both sides)
RSI thresholds and length
ATR length, SL multiplier, and TP/SL ratio
Volume spike sensitivity
Minimum EMA distance filter
Candle body ratio filter
Session restrictions
Cooldown logic (duration + reversal exception)
This makes the strategy extremely versatile, allowing both conservative and aggressive configurations depending on the trader’s profile and the market context.
📌 Example Use Case: SPY Options (0DTE or 1DTE)
This system was designed and tested specifically for SPY and other intraday options trading, where:
Delta is around 0.50 or higher
Trades are short-lived (often 1–5 candles)
You aim to trade 1–3 signals per day, filtering out weak entries
🚫 Important Notes
It is not a scalping strategy; it relies on confirmed breakouts with trend support
No pyramiding or re-entries without cooldown to preserve risk integrity
Should be used with real-time alerts and manual broker execution
📈 Alerts Included
📈 Long Entry Signal
📉 Short Entry Signal
⚠️ Auto-closed all positions at 15:55 EST
✅ Proven Settings – Real Trades + Backtest Results
The current version of the strategy includes the optimal settings I’ve arrived at through extensive backtesting, as well as 3 months of real trading with consistent profitability. These results reflect real-world execution under live market conditions using 0DTE SPY options, with disciplined trade management and risk control.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Options Strategy V2.0 is a robust, highly tunable intraday strategy that blends momentum, trend-following, and volume confirmation. It is ideal for disciplined traders focused on SPY or other 0DTE/1DTE options, and it includes guardrails to reduce false signals and improve execution timing.
Perfect for those who seek precision, flexibility, and risk-defined setups—not blind automation.
Intermarket Correlation Oscillator (ICO)The Intermarket Correlation Oscillator (ICO) is a TradingView indicator that helps traders analyze the relationship between two assets, such as stocks, indices, or cryptocurrencies, by measuring their price correlation. It displays this correlation as an oscillator ranging from -1 to +1, making it easy to spot whether the assets move together, oppositely, or independently. A value near +1 indicates strong positive correlation (assets move in the same direction), near -1 shows strong negative correlation (opposite movements), and near 0 suggests no correlation. This tool is ideal for confirming trends, spotting divergences, or identifying hedging opportunities across markets.
How It Works?
The ICO calculates the Pearson correlation coefficient between the chart’s primary asset (e.g., Apple stock) and a secondary asset you choose (e.g., SPY for the S&P 500) over a specified number of bars (default: 20). The oscillator is plotted in a separate pane below the chart, with key levels at +0.8 (overbought, strong positive correlation) and -0.8 (oversold, strong negative correlation). A midline at 0 helps gauge neutral correlation. When the oscillator crosses these levels or the midline, labels ("OB" for overbought, "OS" for oversold) and alerts notify you of significant shifts. Shaded zones highlight extreme correlations (red for overbought, green for oversold) if enabled.
Why Use the ICO?
Trend Confirmation: High positive correlation (e.g., SPY and QQQ both rising) confirms market trends.
Divergence Detection: Negative correlation (e.g., DXY rising while stocks fall) signals potential reversals.
Hedging: Identify negatively correlated assets to balance your portfolio.
Market Insights: Understand how assets like stocks, bonds, or crypto interact.
Easy Steps to Use the ICO in TradingView
Add the Indicator:
Open TradingView and load your chart (e.g., AAPL on a daily timeframe).
Go to the Pine Editor at the bottom of the TradingView window.
Copy and paste the ICO script provided earlier.
Click "Add to Chart" to display the oscillator below your price chart.
Configure Settings:
Click the gear icon next to the indicator’s name in the chart pane to open settings.
Secondary Symbol: Choose an asset to compare with your chart’s symbol (e.g., "SPY" for S&P 500, "DXY" for USD Index, or "BTCUSD" for Bitcoin). Default is SPY.
Correlation Lookback Period: Set the number of bars for calculation (default: 20). Use 10-14 for short-term trading or 50 for longer-term analysis.
Overbought/Oversold Levels: Adjust thresholds (default: +0.8 for overbought, -0.8 for oversold) to suit your strategy. Lower values (e.g., ±0.7) give more signals.
Show Midline/Zones: Check boxes to display the zero line and shaded overbought/oversold zones for visual clarity.
Interpret the Oscillator:
Above +0.8: Strong positive correlation (red zone). Assets move together.
Below -0.8: Strong negative correlation (green zone). Assets move oppositely.
Near 0: No clear relationship (midline reference).
Labels: "OB" or "OS" appears when crossing overbought/oversold levels, signaling potential correlation shifts.
Set Up Alerts:
Right-click the indicator, select "Add Alert."
Choose conditions like "Overbought Alert" (crossing above +0.8), "Oversold Alert" (crossing below -0.8), or zero-line crossings for bullish/bearish correlation shifts.
Configure notifications (e.g., email, SMS) to stay informed.
Apply to Trading:
Use positive correlation to confirm trades (e.g., buy AAPL if SPY is rising and correlation is high).
Spot divergences for reversals (e.g., stocks dropping while DXY rises with negative correlation).
Combine with other indicators like RSI or moving averages for stronger signals.
Tips for New Users
Start with related assets (e.g., SPY and QQQ for tech stocks) to see clear correlations.
Test on a demo account to understand signals before trading live.
Be aware that correlation is a lagging indicator; confirm signals with price action.
If the secondary symbol doesn’t load, ensure it’s valid on TradingView (e.g., use correct ticker format).
The ICO is a powerful, beginner-friendly tool to explore intermarket relationships, enhancing your trading decisions with clear visual cues and alerts.
DCA Investment Tracker Pro [tradeviZion]DCA Investment Tracker Pro: Educational DCA Analysis Tool
An educational indicator that helps analyze Dollar-Cost Averaging strategies by comparing actual performance with historical data calculations.
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💡 Why I Created This Indicator
As someone who practices Dollar-Cost Averaging, I was frustrated with constantly switching between spreadsheets, calculators, and charts just to understand how my investments were really performing. I wanted to see everything in one place - my actual performance, what I should expect based on historical data, and most importantly, visualize where my strategy could take me over the long term .
What really motivated me was watching friends and family underestimate the incredible power of consistent investing. When Napoleon Bonaparte first learned about compound interest, he reportedly exclaimed "I wonder it has not swallowed the world" - and he was right! Yet most people can't visualize how their $500 monthly contributions today could become substantial wealth decades later.
Traditional DCA tracking tools exist, but they share similar limitations:
Require manual data entry and complex spreadsheets
Use fixed assumptions that don't reflect real market behavior
Can't show future projections overlaid on actual price charts
Lose the visual context of what's happening in the market
Make compound growth feel abstract rather than tangible
I wanted to create something different - a tool that automatically analyzes real market history, detects volatility periods, and shows you both current performance AND educational projections based on historical patterns right on your TradingView charts. As Warren Buffett said: "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." This tool helps you visualize your financial tree growing over time.
This isn't just another calculator - it's a visualization tool that makes the magic of compound growth impossible to ignore.
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🎯 What This Indicator Does
This educational indicator provides DCA analysis tools. Users can input investment scenarios to study:
Theoretical Performance: Educational calculations based on historical return data
Comparative Analysis: Study differences between actual and theoretical scenarios
Historical Projections: Theoretical projections for educational analysis (not predictions)
Performance Metrics: CAGR, ROI, and other analytical metrics for study
Historical Analysis: Calculates historical return data for reference purposes
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🚀 Key Features
Volatility-Adjusted Historical Return Calculation
Analyzes 3-20 years of actual price data for any symbol
Automatically detects high-volatility stocks (meme stocks, growth stocks)
Uses median returns for volatile stocks, standard CAGR for stable stocks
Provides conservative estimates when extreme outlier years are detected
Smart fallback to manual percentages when data insufficient
Customizable Performance Dashboard
Educational DCA performance analysis with compound growth calculations
Customizable table sizing (Tiny to Huge text options)
9 positioning options (Top/Middle/Bottom + Left/Center/Right)
Theme-adaptive colors (automatically adjusts to dark/light mode)
Multiple display layout options
Future Projection System
Visual future growth projections
Timeframe-aware calculations (Daily/Weekly/Monthly charts)
1-30 year projection options
Shows projected portfolio value and total investment amounts
Investment Insights
Performance vs benchmark comparison
ROI from initial investment tracking
Monthly average return analysis
Investment milestone alerts (25%, 50%, 100% gains)
Contribution tracking and next milestone indicators
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📊 Step-by-Step Setup Guide
1. Investment Settings 💰
Initial Investment: Enter your starting lump sum (e.g., $60,000)
Monthly Contribution: Set your regular DCA amount (e.g., $500/month)
Return Calculation: Choose "Auto (Stock History)" for real data or "Manual" for fixed %
Historical Period: Select 3-20 years for auto calculations (default: 10 years)
Start Year: When you began investing (e.g., 2020)
Current Portfolio Value: Your actual portfolio worth today (e.g., $150,000)
2. Display Settings 📊
Table Sizes: Choose from Tiny, Small, Normal, Large, or Huge
Table Positions: 9 options - Top/Middle/Bottom + Left/Center/Right
Visibility Toggles: Show/hide Main Table and Stats Table independently
3. Future Projection 🔮
Enable Projections: Toggle on to see future growth visualization
Projection Years: Set 1-30 years ahead for analysis
Live Example - NASDAQ:META Analysis:
Settings shown: $60K initial + $500/month + Auto calculation + 10-year history + 2020 start + $150K current value
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🔬 Pine Script Code Examples
Core DCA Calculations:
// Calculate total invested over time
months_elapsed = (year - start_year) * 12 + month - 1
total_invested = initial_investment + (monthly_contribution * months_elapsed)
// Compound growth formula for initial investment
theoretical_initial_growth = initial_investment * math.pow(1 + annual_return, years_elapsed)
// Future Value of Annuity for monthly contributions
monthly_rate = annual_return / 12
fv_contributions = monthly_contribution * ((math.pow(1 + monthly_rate, months_elapsed) - 1) / monthly_rate)
// Total expected value
theoretical_total = theoretical_initial_growth + fv_contributions
Volatility Detection Logic:
// Detect extreme years for volatility adjustment
extreme_years = 0
for i = 1 to historical_years
yearly_return = ((price_current / price_i_years_ago) - 1) * 100
if yearly_return > 100 or yearly_return < -50
extreme_years += 1
// Use median approach for high volatility stocks
high_volatility = (extreme_years / historical_years) > 0.2
calculated_return = high_volatility ? median_of_returns : standard_cagr
Performance Metrics:
// Calculate key performance indicators
absolute_gain = actual_value - total_invested
total_return_pct = (absolute_gain / total_invested) * 100
roi_initial = ((actual_value - initial_investment) / initial_investment) * 100
cagr = (math.pow(actual_value / initial_investment, 1 / years_elapsed) - 1) * 100
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📊 Real-World Examples
See the indicator in action across different investment types:
Stable Index Investments:
AMEX:SPY (SPDR S&P 500) - Shows steady compound growth with standard CAGR calculations
Classic DCA success story: $60K initial + $500/month starting 2020. The indicator shows SPY's historical 10%+ returns, demonstrating how consistent broad market investing builds wealth over time. Notice the smooth theoretical growth line vs actual performance tracking.
MIL:VUAA (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS) - Shows both data limitation and solution approaches
Data limitation example: VUAA shows "Manual (Auto Failed)" and "No Data" when default 10-year historical setting exceeds available data. The indicator gracefully falls back to manual percentage input while maintaining all DCA calculations and projections.
MIL:VUAA (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS) - European ETF with successful 5-year auto calculation
Solution demonstration: By adjusting historical period to 5 years (matching available data), VUAA auto calculation works perfectly. Shows how users can optimize settings for newer assets. European market exposure with EUR denomination, demonstrating DCA effectiveness across different markets and currencies.
NYSE:BRK.B (Berkshire Hathaway) - Quality value investment with Warren Buffett's proven track record
Value investing approach: Berkshire Hathaway's legendary performance through DCA lens. The indicator demonstrates how quality companies compound wealth over decades. Lower volatility than tech stocks = standard CAGR calculations used.
High-Volatility Growth Stocks:
NASDAQ:NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation) - Demonstrates volatility-adjusted calculations for extreme price swings
High-volatility example: NVIDIA's explosive AI boom creates extreme years that trigger volatility detection. The indicator automatically switches to "Median (High Vol): 50%" calculations for conservative projections, protecting against unrealistic future estimates based on outlier performance periods.
NASDAQ:TSLA (Tesla) - Shows how 10-year analysis can stabilize volatile tech stocks
Stable long-term growth: Despite Tesla's reputation for volatility, the 10-year historical analysis (34.8% CAGR) shows consistent enough performance that volatility detection doesn't trigger. Demonstrates how longer timeframes can smooth out extreme periods for more reliable projections.
NASDAQ:META (Meta Platforms) - Shows stable tech stock analysis using standard CAGR calculations
Tech stock with stable growth: Despite being a tech stock and experiencing the 2022 crash, META's 10-year history shows consistent enough performance (23.98% CAGR) that volatility detection doesn't trigger. The indicator uses standard CAGR calculations, demonstrating how not all tech stocks require conservative median adjustments.
Notice how the indicator automatically detects high-volatility periods and switches to median-based calculations for more conservative projections, while stable investments use standard CAGR methods.
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📈 Performance Metrics Explained
Current Portfolio Value: Your actual investment worth today
Expected Value: What you should have based on historical returns (Auto) or your target return (Manual)
Total Invested: Your actual money invested (initial + all monthly contributions)
Total Gains/Loss: Absolute dollar difference between current value and total invested
Total Return %: Percentage gain/loss on your total invested amount
ROI from Initial Investment: How your starting lump sum has performed
CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate of your initial investment (Note: This shows initial investment performance, not full DCA strategy)
vs Benchmark: How you're performing compared to the expected returns
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⚠️ Important Notes & Limitations
Data Requirements: Auto mode requires sufficient historical data (minimum 3 years recommended)
CAGR Limitation: CAGR calculation is based on initial investment growth only, not the complete DCA strategy
Projection Accuracy: Future projections are theoretical and based on historical returns - actual results may vary
Timeframe Support: Works ONLY on Daily (1D), Weekly (1W), and Monthly (1M) charts - no other timeframes supported
Update Frequency: Update "Current Portfolio Value" regularly for accurate tracking
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📚 Educational Use & Disclaimer
This analysis tool can be applied to various stock and ETF charts for educational study of DCA mathematical concepts and historical performance patterns.
Study Examples: Can be used with symbols like AMEX:SPY , NASDAQ:QQQ , AMEX:VTI , NASDAQ:AAPL , NASDAQ:MSFT , NASDAQ:GOOGL , NASDAQ:AMZN , NASDAQ:TSLA , NASDAQ:NVDA for learning purposes.
EDUCATIONAL DISCLAIMER: This indicator is a study tool for analyzing Dollar-Cost Averaging strategies. It does not provide investment advice, trading signals, or guarantees. All calculations are theoretical examples for educational purposes only. Past performance does not predict future results. Users should conduct their own research and consult qualified financial professionals before making any investment decisions.
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© 2025 TradeVizion. All rights reserved.
Buying Opportunity Score V2.1Overview
A composite scoring system (0-100) that identifies high-probability buying opportunities during market pullbacks. Validated through backtesting on SPY from 2010-2024.
How It Works
The indicator combines multiple fear and oversold signals into a single actionable score. When fear is elevated and the market is oversold, the score rises. Higher scores historically correlate with better forward returns.
Scoring Components
VIX Level (30 pts) - Market fear gauge
Drawdown (30 pts) - Distance from 52-week high
RSI 14 (12 pts) - Oversold confirmation
Bollinger Band (13 pts) - Statistical extreme
VIX Timing (15 pts) - Bonus when VIX declining from peak
Signal Levels
80+ = STRONG BUY (high conviction)
70-79 = BUY (consider entry)
60-69 = WATCH (monitor closely)
Below 60 = No signal
Backtest Results (SPY, 2010-2024)
70+ Signals: 85% win rate, 7.5% average 20-day return
80+ Signals: 100% win rate, 14% average 20-day return
Features
Statistics table showing 1Y, 3Y, 5Y rolling performance
Signal markers (green triangles) on buy signals
Outcome labels showing WIN/LOSS after measurement period
Multiple alert options
Works on SPY, QQQ, IWM (use VIX for all)
How To Use
Add to SPY, QQQ, or IWM (daily timeframe)
Wait for score to reach 70+ or 80+
Green triangle marks signal day
Check statistics table for recent performance
Set alerts for notifications
Alerts Available
STRONG BUY Signal (80+)
BUY Signal (70+)
Moderate Signal (60+)
Score Crossed 80/70
Score Dropped Below 70
Important Notes
Designed for daily timeframe on broad market ETFs
Signals confirm at end of day (bar close)
Statistics table shows rolling windows based on loaded data
Past performance does not guarantee future results
Dynamic 15-Ticker Multi-Symbol Table 2025 EditionTitle:
Dynamic 15-Ticker Multi-Symbol Table 2025 Edition
Description:
This script provides a multi-ticker table for TradingView charts. It is fully open-source and free to use. The table displays up to 15 tickers, including SPY as the baseline symbol. The script updates in real-time on any timeframe.
Features:
SPY baseline: The first row always shows SPY for reference.
Custom tickers: Add up to 14 additional tickers via the input settings. Rows without tickers remain hidden.
Price and direction: Each ticker row displays the current price and an indicator of direction based on recent price movement.
RSI (14) indicator: Shows the current relative strength index value with a simple directional marker.
Volume formatting: Displays volume values in thousands, millions, or billions automatically. Volume change is indicated with directional markers.
Stable layout: The table uses alternating row colors for readability and maintains consistent row count without collapsing or disappearing rows.
Real-time updates: All displayed values refresh automatically on any chart timeframe.
How to use:
Add the script to your chart.
Enter your chosen tickers in the input settings. SPY will remain as the first ticker automatically.
Tickers not entered will remain hidden. When a ticker is removed, the row will be removed-dynamically.
Observe live prices, RSI values, and volume changes directly on your chart without switching symbols.
Additional notes:
The script is fully open-source; users are encouraged to modify or improve it.
No external links or references are required to understand its function.
This script does not repaint and does not require additional requests to update values.
Dynamic Equity Allocation Model"Cash is Trash"? Not Always. Here's Why Science Beats Guesswork.
Every retail trader knows the frustration: you draw support and resistance lines, you spot patterns, you follow market gurus on social media—and still, when the next bear market hits, your portfolio bleeds red. Meanwhile, institutional investors seem to navigate market turbulence with ease, preserving capital when markets crash and participating when they rally. What's their secret?
The answer isn't insider information or access to exotic derivatives. It's systematic, scientifically validated decision-making. While most retail traders rely on subjective chart analysis and emotional reactions, professional portfolio managers use quantitative models that remove emotion from the equation and process multiple streams of market information simultaneously.
This document presents exactly such a system—not a proprietary black box available only to hedge funds, but a fully transparent, academically grounded framework that any serious investor can understand and apply. The Dynamic Equity Allocation Model (DEAM) synthesizes decades of financial research from Nobel laureates and leading academics into a practical tool for tactical asset allocation.
Stop drawing colorful lines on your chart and start thinking like a quant. This isn't about predicting where the market goes next week—it's about systematically adjusting your risk exposure based on what the data actually tells you. When valuations scream danger, when volatility spikes, when credit markets freeze, when multiple warning signals align—that's when cash isn't trash. That's when cash saves your portfolio.
The irony of "cash is trash" rhetoric is that it ignores timing. Yes, being 100% cash for decades would be disastrous. But being 100% equities through every crisis is equally foolish. The sophisticated approach is dynamic: aggressive when conditions favor risk-taking, defensive when they don't. This model shows you how to make that decision systematically, not emotionally.
Whether you're managing your own retirement portfolio or seeking to understand how institutional allocation strategies work, this comprehensive analysis provides the theoretical foundation, mathematical implementation, and practical guidance to elevate your investment approach from amateur to professional.
The choice is yours: keep hoping your chart patterns work out, or start using the same quantitative methods that professionals rely on. The tools are here. The research is cited. The methodology is explained. All you need to do is read, understand, and apply.
The Dynamic Equity Allocation Model (DEAM) is a quantitative framework for systematic allocation between equities and cash, grounded in modern portfolio theory and empirical market research. The model integrates five scientifically validated dimensions of market analysis—market regime, risk metrics, valuation, sentiment, and macroeconomic conditions—to generate dynamic allocation recommendations ranging from 0% to 100% equity exposure. This work documents the theoretical foundations, mathematical implementation, and practical application of this multi-factor approach.
1. Introduction and Theoretical Background
1.1 The Limitations of Static Portfolio Allocation
Traditional portfolio theory, as formulated by Markowitz (1952) in his seminal work "Portfolio Selection," assumes an optimal static allocation where investors distribute their wealth across asset classes according to their risk aversion. This approach rests on the assumption that returns and risks remain constant over time. However, empirical research demonstrates that this assumption does not hold in reality. Fama and French (1989) showed that expected returns vary over time and correlate with macroeconomic variables such as the spread between long-term and short-term interest rates. Campbell and Shiller (1988) demonstrated that the price-earnings ratio possesses predictive power for future stock returns, providing a foundation for dynamic allocation strategies.
The academic literature on tactical asset allocation has evolved considerably over recent decades. Ilmanen (2011) argues in "Expected Returns" that investors can improve their risk-adjusted returns by considering valuation levels, business cycles, and market sentiment. The Dynamic Equity Allocation Model presented here builds on this research tradition and operationalizes these insights into a practically applicable allocation framework.
1.2 Multi-Factor Approaches in Asset Allocation
Modern financial research has shown that different factors capture distinct aspects of market dynamics and together provide a more robust picture of market conditions than individual indicators. Ross (1976) developed the Arbitrage Pricing Theory, a model that employs multiple factors to explain security returns. Following this multi-factor philosophy, DEAM integrates five complementary analytical dimensions, each tapping different information sources and collectively enabling comprehensive market understanding.
2. Data Foundation and Data Quality
2.1 Data Sources Used
The model draws its data exclusively from publicly available market data via the TradingView platform. This transparency and accessibility is a significant advantage over proprietary models that rely on non-public data. The data foundation encompasses several categories of market information, each capturing specific aspects of market dynamics.
First, price data for the S&P 500 Index is obtained through the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (ticker: SPY). The use of a highly liquid ETF instead of the index itself has practical reasons, as ETF data is available in real-time and reflects actual tradability. In addition to closing prices, high, low, and volume data are captured, which are required for calculating advanced volatility measures.
Fundamental corporate metrics are retrieved via TradingView's Financial Data API. These include earnings per share, price-to-earnings ratio, return on equity, debt-to-equity ratio, dividend yield, and share buyback yield. Cochrane (2011) emphasizes in "Presidential Address: Discount Rates" the central importance of valuation metrics for forecasting future returns, making these fundamental data a cornerstone of the model.
Volatility indicators are represented by the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) and related metrics. The VIX, often referred to as the market's "fear gauge," measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 index options and serves as a proxy for market participants' risk perception. Whaley (2000) describes in "The Investor Fear Gauge" the construction and interpretation of the VIX and its use as a sentiment indicator.
Macroeconomic data includes yield curve information through US Treasury bonds of various maturities and credit risk premiums through the spread between high-yield bonds and risk-free government bonds. These variables capture the macroeconomic conditions and financing conditions relevant for equity valuation. Estrella and Hardouvelis (1991) showed that the shape of the yield curve has predictive power for future economic activity, justifying the inclusion of these data.
2.2 Handling Missing Data
A practical problem when working with financial data is dealing with missing or unavailable values. The model implements a fallback system where a plausible historical average value is stored for each fundamental metric. When current data is unavailable for a specific point in time, this fallback value is used. This approach ensures that the model remains functional even during temporary data outages and avoids systematic biases from missing data. The use of average values as fallback is conservative, as it generates neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic signals.
3. Component 1: Market Regime Detection
3.1 The Concept of Market Regimes
The idea that financial markets exist in different "regimes" or states that differ in their statistical properties has a long tradition in financial science. Hamilton (1989) developed regime-switching models that allow distinguishing between different market states with different return and volatility characteristics. The practical application of this theory consists of identifying the current market state and adjusting portfolio allocation accordingly.
DEAM classifies market regimes using a scoring system that considers three main dimensions: trend strength, volatility level, and drawdown depth. This multidimensional view is more robust than focusing on individual indicators, as it captures various facets of market dynamics. Classification occurs into six distinct regimes: Strong Bull, Bull Market, Neutral, Correction, Bear Market, and Crisis.
3.2 Trend Analysis Through Moving Averages
Moving averages are among the oldest and most widely used technical indicators and have also received attention in academic literature. Brock, Lakonishok, and LeBaron (1992) examined in "Simple Technical Trading Rules and the Stochastic Properties of Stock Returns" the profitability of trading rules based on moving averages and found evidence for their predictive power, although later studies questioned the robustness of these results when considering transaction costs.
The model calculates three moving averages with different time windows: a 20-day average (approximately one trading month), a 50-day average (approximately one quarter), and a 200-day average (approximately one trading year). The relationship of the current price to these averages and the relationship of the averages to each other provide information about trend strength and direction. When the price trades above all three averages and the short-term average is above the long-term, this indicates an established uptrend. The model assigns points based on these constellations, with longer-term trends weighted more heavily as they are considered more persistent.
3.3 Volatility Regimes
Volatility, understood as the standard deviation of returns, is a central concept of financial theory and serves as the primary risk measure. However, research has shown that volatility is not constant but changes over time and occurs in clusters—a phenomenon first documented by Mandelbrot (1963) and later formalized through ARCH and GARCH models (Engle, 1982; Bollerslev, 1986).
DEAM calculates volatility not only through the classic method of return standard deviation but also uses more advanced estimators such as the Parkinson estimator and the Garman-Klass estimator. These methods utilize intraday information (high and low prices) and are more efficient than simple close-to-close volatility estimators. The Parkinson estimator (Parkinson, 1980) uses the range between high and low of a trading day and is based on the recognition that this information reveals more about true volatility than just the closing price difference. The Garman-Klass estimator (Garman and Klass, 1980) extends this approach by additionally considering opening and closing prices.
The calculated volatility is annualized by multiplying it by the square root of 252 (the average number of trading days per year), enabling standardized comparability. The model compares current volatility with the VIX, the implied volatility from option prices. A low VIX (below 15) signals market comfort and increases the regime score, while a high VIX (above 35) indicates market stress and reduces the score. This interpretation follows the empirical observation that elevated volatility is typically associated with falling markets (Schwert, 1989).
3.4 Drawdown Analysis
A drawdown refers to the percentage decline from the highest point (peak) to the lowest point (trough) during a specific period. This metric is psychologically significant for investors as it represents the maximum loss experienced. Calmar (1991) developed the Calmar Ratio, which relates return to maximum drawdown, underscoring the practical relevance of this metric.
The model calculates current drawdown as the percentage distance from the highest price of the last 252 trading days (one year). A drawdown below 3% is considered negligible and maximally increases the regime score. As drawdown increases, the score decreases progressively, with drawdowns above 20% classified as severe and indicating a crisis or bear market regime. These thresholds are empirically motivated by historical market cycles, in which corrections typically encompassed 5-10% drawdowns, bear markets 20-30%, and crises over 30%.
3.5 Regime Classification
Final regime classification occurs through aggregation of scores from trend (40% weight), volatility (30%), and drawdown (30%). The higher weighting of trend reflects the empirical observation that trend-following strategies have historically delivered robust results (Moskowitz, Ooi, and Pedersen, 2012). A total score above 80 signals a strong bull market with established uptrend, low volatility, and minimal losses. At a score below 10, a crisis situation exists requiring defensive positioning. The six regime categories enable a differentiated allocation strategy that not only distinguishes binarily between bullish and bearish but allows gradual gradations.
4. Component 2: Risk-Based Allocation
4.1 Volatility Targeting as Risk Management Approach
The concept of volatility targeting is based on the idea that investors should maximize not returns but risk-adjusted returns. Sharpe (1966, 1994) defined with the Sharpe Ratio the fundamental concept of return per unit of risk, measured as volatility. Volatility targeting goes a step further and adjusts portfolio allocation to achieve constant target volatility. This means that in times of low market volatility, equity allocation is increased, and in times of high volatility, it is reduced.
Moreira and Muir (2017) showed in "Volatility-Managed Portfolios" that strategies that adjust their exposure based on volatility forecasts achieve higher Sharpe Ratios than passive buy-and-hold strategies. DEAM implements this principle by defining a target portfolio volatility (default 12% annualized) and adjusting equity allocation to achieve it. The mathematical foundation is simple: if market volatility is 20% and target volatility is 12%, equity allocation should be 60% (12/20 = 0.6), with the remaining 40% held in cash with zero volatility.
4.2 Market Volatility Calculation
Estimating current market volatility is central to the risk-based allocation approach. The model uses several volatility estimators in parallel and selects the higher value between traditional close-to-close volatility and the Parkinson estimator. This conservative choice ensures the model does not underestimate true volatility, which could lead to excessive risk exposure.
Traditional volatility calculation uses logarithmic returns, as these have mathematically advantageous properties (additive linkage over multiple periods). The logarithmic return is calculated as ln(P_t / P_{t-1}), where P_t is the price at time t. The standard deviation of these returns over a rolling 20-trading-day window is then multiplied by √252 to obtain annualized volatility. This annualization is based on the assumption of independently identically distributed returns, which is an idealization but widely accepted in practice.
The Parkinson estimator uses additional information from the trading range (High minus Low) of each day. The formula is: σ_P = (1/√(4ln2)) × √(1/n × Σln²(H_i/L_i)) × √252, where H_i and L_i are high and low prices. Under ideal conditions, this estimator is approximately five times more efficient than the close-to-close estimator (Parkinson, 1980), as it uses more information per observation.
4.3 Drawdown-Based Position Size Adjustment
In addition to volatility targeting, the model implements drawdown-based risk control. The logic is that deep market declines often signal further losses and therefore justify exposure reduction. This behavior corresponds with the concept of path-dependent risk tolerance: investors who have already suffered losses are typically less willing to take additional risk (Kahneman and Tversky, 1979).
The model defines a maximum portfolio drawdown as a target parameter (default 15%). Since portfolio volatility and portfolio drawdown are proportional to equity allocation (assuming cash has neither volatility nor drawdown), allocation-based control is possible. For example, if the market exhibits a 25% drawdown and target portfolio drawdown is 15%, equity allocation should be at most 60% (15/25).
4.4 Dynamic Risk Adjustment
An advanced feature of DEAM is dynamic adjustment of risk-based allocation through a feedback mechanism. The model continuously estimates what actual portfolio volatility and portfolio drawdown would result at the current allocation. If risk utilization (ratio of actual to target risk) exceeds 1.0, allocation is reduced by an adjustment factor that grows exponentially with overutilization. This implements a form of dynamic feedback that avoids overexposure.
Mathematically, a risk adjustment factor r_adjust is calculated: if risk utilization u > 1, then r_adjust = exp(-0.5 × (u - 1)). This exponential function ensures that moderate overutilization is gently corrected, while strong overutilization triggers drastic reductions. The factor 0.5 in the exponent was empirically calibrated to achieve a balanced ratio between sensitivity and stability.
5. Component 3: Valuation Analysis
5.1 Theoretical Foundations of Fundamental Valuation
DEAM's valuation component is based on the fundamental premise that the intrinsic value of a security is determined by its future cash flows and that deviations between market price and intrinsic value are eventually corrected. Graham and Dodd (1934) established in "Security Analysis" the basic principles of fundamental analysis that remain relevant today. Translated into modern portfolio context, this means that markets with high valuation metrics (high price-earnings ratios) should have lower expected returns than cheaply valued markets.
Campbell and Shiller (1988) developed the Cyclically Adjusted P/E Ratio (CAPE), which smooths earnings over a full business cycle. Their empirical analysis showed that this ratio has significant predictive power for 10-year returns. Asness, Moskowitz, and Pedersen (2013) demonstrated in "Value and Momentum Everywhere" that value effects exist not only in individual stocks but also in asset classes and markets.
5.2 Equity Risk Premium as Central Valuation Metric
The Equity Risk Premium (ERP) is defined as the expected excess return of stocks over risk-free government bonds. It is the theoretical heart of valuation analysis, as it represents the compensation investors demand for bearing equity risk. Damodaran (2012) discusses in "Equity Risk Premiums: Determinants, Estimation and Implications" various methods for ERP estimation.
DEAM calculates ERP not through a single method but combines four complementary approaches with different weights. This multi-method strategy increases estimation robustness and avoids dependence on single, potentially erroneous inputs.
The first method (35% weight) uses earnings yield, calculated as 1/P/E or directly from operating earnings data, and subtracts the 10-year Treasury yield. This method follows Fed Model logic (Yardeni, 2003), although this model has theoretical weaknesses as it does not consistently treat inflation (Asness, 2003).
The second method (30% weight) extends earnings yield by share buyback yield. Share buybacks are a form of capital return to shareholders and increase value per share. Boudoukh et al. (2007) showed in "The Total Shareholder Yield" that the sum of dividend yield and buyback yield is a better predictor of future returns than dividend yield alone.
The third method (20% weight) implements the Gordon Growth Model (Gordon, 1962), which models stock value as the sum of discounted future dividends. Under constant growth g assumption: Expected Return = Dividend Yield + g. The model estimates sustainable growth as g = ROE × (1 - Payout Ratio), where ROE is return on equity and payout ratio is the ratio of dividends to earnings. This formula follows from equity theory: unretained earnings are reinvested at ROE and generate additional earnings growth.
The fourth method (15% weight) combines total shareholder yield (Dividend + Buybacks) with implied growth derived from revenue growth. This method considers that companies with strong revenue growth should generate higher future earnings, even if current valuations do not yet fully reflect this.
The final ERP is the weighted average of these four methods. A high ERP (above 4%) signals attractive valuations and increases the valuation score to 95 out of 100 possible points. A negative ERP, where stocks have lower expected returns than bonds, results in a minimal score of 10.
5.3 Quality Adjustments to Valuation
Valuation metrics alone can be misleading if not interpreted in the context of company quality. A company with a low P/E may be cheap or fundamentally problematic. The model therefore implements quality adjustments based on growth, profitability, and capital structure.
Revenue growth above 10% annually adds 10 points to the valuation score, moderate growth above 5% adds 5 points. This adjustment reflects that growth has independent value (Modigliani and Miller, 1961, extended by later growth theory). Net margin above 15% signals pricing power and operational efficiency and increases the score by 5 points, while low margins below 8% indicate competitive pressure and subtract 5 points.
Return on equity (ROE) above 20% characterizes outstanding capital efficiency and increases the score by 5 points. Piotroski (2000) showed in "Value Investing: The Use of Historical Financial Statement Information" that fundamental quality signals such as high ROE can improve the performance of value strategies.
Capital structure is evaluated through the debt-to-equity ratio. A conservative ratio below 1.0 multiplies the valuation score by 1.2, while high leverage above 2.0 applies a multiplier of 0.8. This adjustment reflects that high debt constrains financial flexibility and can become problematic in crisis times (Korteweg, 2010).
6. Component 4: Sentiment Analysis
6.1 The Role of Sentiment in Financial Markets
Investor sentiment, defined as the collective psychological attitude of market participants, influences asset prices independently of fundamental data. Baker and Wurgler (2006, 2007) developed a sentiment index and showed that periods of high sentiment are followed by overvaluations that later correct. This insight justifies integrating a sentiment component into allocation decisions.
Sentiment is difficult to measure directly but can be proxied through market indicators. The VIX is the most widely used sentiment indicator, as it aggregates implied volatility from option prices. High VIX values reflect elevated uncertainty and risk aversion, while low values signal market comfort. Whaley (2009) refers to the VIX as the "Investor Fear Gauge" and documents its role as a contrarian indicator: extremely high values typically occur at market bottoms, while low values occur at tops.
6.2 VIX-Based Sentiment Assessment
DEAM uses statistical normalization of the VIX by calculating the Z-score: z = (VIX_current - VIX_average) / VIX_standard_deviation. The Z-score indicates how many standard deviations the current VIX is from the historical average. This approach is more robust than absolute thresholds, as it adapts to the average volatility level, which can vary over longer periods.
A Z-score below -1.5 (VIX is 1.5 standard deviations below average) signals exceptionally low risk perception and adds 40 points to the sentiment score. This may seem counterintuitive—shouldn't low fear be bullish? However, the logic follows the contrarian principle: when no one is afraid, everyone is already invested, and there is limited further upside potential (Zweig, 1973). Conversely, a Z-score above 1.5 (extreme fear) adds -40 points, reflecting market panic but simultaneously suggesting potential buying opportunities.
6.3 VIX Term Structure as Sentiment Signal
The VIX term structure provides additional sentiment information. Normally, the VIX trades in contango, meaning longer-term VIX futures have higher prices than short-term. This reflects that short-term volatility is currently known, while long-term volatility is more uncertain and carries a risk premium. The model compares the VIX with VIX9D (9-day volatility) and identifies backwardation (VIX > 1.05 × VIX9D) and steep backwardation (VIX > 1.15 × VIX9D).
Backwardation occurs when short-term implied volatility is higher than longer-term, which typically happens during market stress. Investors anticipate immediate turbulence but expect calming. Psychologically, this reflects acute fear. The model subtracts 15 points for backwardation and 30 for steep backwardation, as these constellations signal elevated risk. Simon and Wiggins (2001) analyzed the VIX futures curve and showed that backwardation is associated with market declines.
6.4 Safe-Haven Flows
During crisis times, investors flee from risky assets into safe havens: gold, US dollar, and Japanese yen. This "flight to quality" is a sentiment signal. The model calculates the performance of these assets relative to stocks over the last 20 trading days. When gold or the dollar strongly rise while stocks fall, this indicates elevated risk aversion.
The safe-haven component is calculated as the difference between safe-haven performance and stock performance. Positive values (safe havens outperform) subtract up to 20 points from the sentiment score, negative values (stocks outperform) add up to 10 points. The asymmetric treatment (larger deduction for risk-off than bonus for risk-on) reflects that risk-off movements are typically sharper and more informative than risk-on phases.
Baur and Lucey (2010) examined safe-haven properties of gold and showed that gold indeed exhibits negative correlation with stocks during extreme market movements, confirming its role as crisis protection.
7. Component 5: Macroeconomic Analysis
7.1 The Yield Curve as Economic Indicator
The yield curve, represented as yields of government bonds of various maturities, contains aggregated expectations about future interest rates, inflation, and economic growth. The slope of the yield curve has remarkable predictive power for recessions. Estrella and Mishkin (1998) showed that an inverted yield curve (short-term rates higher than long-term) predicts recessions with high reliability. This is because inverted curves reflect restrictive monetary policy: the central bank raises short-term rates to combat inflation, dampening economic activity.
DEAM calculates two spread measures: the 2-year-minus-10-year spread and the 3-month-minus-10-year spread. A steep, positive curve (spreads above 1.5% and 2% respectively) signals healthy growth expectations and generates the maximum yield curve score of 40 points. A flat curve (spreads near zero) reduces the score to 20 points. An inverted curve (negative spreads) is particularly alarming and results in only 10 points.
The choice of two different spreads increases analysis robustness. The 2-10 spread is most established in academic literature, while the 3M-10Y spread is often considered more sensitive, as the 3-month rate directly reflects current monetary policy (Ang, Piazzesi, and Wei, 2006).
7.2 Credit Conditions and Spreads
Credit spreads—the yield difference between risky corporate bonds and safe government bonds—reflect risk perception in the credit market. Gilchrist and Zakrajšek (2012) constructed an "Excess Bond Premium" that measures the component of credit spreads not explained by fundamentals and showed this is a predictor of future economic activity and stock returns.
The model approximates credit spread by comparing the yield of high-yield bond ETFs (HYG) with investment-grade bond ETFs (LQD). A narrow spread below 200 basis points signals healthy credit conditions and risk appetite, contributing 30 points to the macro score. Very wide spreads above 1000 basis points (as during the 2008 financial crisis) signal credit crunch and generate zero points.
Additionally, the model evaluates whether "flight to quality" is occurring, identified through strong performance of Treasury bonds (TLT) with simultaneous weakness in high-yield bonds. This constellation indicates elevated risk aversion and reduces the credit conditions score.
7.3 Financial Stability at Corporate Level
While the yield curve and credit spreads reflect macroeconomic conditions, financial stability evaluates the health of companies themselves. The model uses the aggregated debt-to-equity ratio and return on equity of the S&P 500 as proxies for corporate health.
A low leverage level below 0.5 combined with high ROE above 15% signals robust corporate balance sheets and generates 20 points. This combination is particularly valuable as it represents both defensive strength (low debt means crisis resistance) and offensive strength (high ROE means earnings power). High leverage above 1.5 generates only 5 points, as it implies vulnerability to interest rate increases and recessions.
Korteweg (2010) showed in "The Net Benefits to Leverage" that optimal debt maximizes firm value, but excessive debt increases distress costs. At the aggregated market level, high debt indicates fragilities that can become problematic during stress phases.
8. Component 6: Crisis Detection
8.1 The Need for Systematic Crisis Detection
Financial crises are rare but extremely impactful events that suspend normal statistical relationships. During normal market volatility, diversified portfolios and traditional risk management approaches function, but during systemic crises, seemingly independent assets suddenly correlate strongly, and losses exceed historical expectations (Longin and Solnik, 2001). This justifies a separate crisis detection mechanism that operates independently of regular allocation components.
Reinhart and Rogoff (2009) documented in "This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly" recurring patterns in financial crises: extreme volatility, massive drawdowns, credit market dysfunction, and asset price collapse. DEAM operationalizes these patterns into quantifiable crisis indicators.
8.2 Multi-Signal Crisis Identification
The model uses a counter-based approach where various stress signals are identified and aggregated. This methodology is more robust than relying on a single indicator, as true crises typically occur simultaneously across multiple dimensions. A single signal may be a false alarm, but the simultaneous presence of multiple signals increases confidence.
The first indicator is a VIX above the crisis threshold (default 40), adding one point. A VIX above 60 (as in 2008 and March 2020) adds two additional points, as such extreme values are historically very rare. This tiered approach captures the intensity of volatility.
The second indicator is market drawdown. A drawdown above 15% adds one point, as corrections of this magnitude can be potential harbingers of larger crises. A drawdown above 25% adds another point, as historical bear markets typically encompass 25-40% drawdowns.
The third indicator is credit market spreads above 500 basis points, adding one point. Such wide spreads occur only during significant credit market disruptions, as in 2008 during the Lehman crisis.
The fourth indicator identifies simultaneous losses in stocks and bonds. Normally, Treasury bonds act as a hedge against equity risk (negative correlation), but when both fall simultaneously, this indicates systemic liquidity problems or inflation/stagflation fears. The model checks whether both SPY and TLT have fallen more than 10% and 5% respectively over 5 trading days, adding two points.
The fifth indicator is a volume spike combined with negative returns. Extreme trading volumes (above twice the 20-day average) with falling prices signal panic selling. This adds one point.
A crisis situation is diagnosed when at least 3 indicators trigger, a severe crisis at 5 or more indicators. These thresholds were calibrated through historical backtesting to identify true crises (2008, 2020) without generating excessive false alarms.
8.3 Crisis-Based Allocation Override
When a crisis is detected, the system overrides the normal allocation recommendation and caps equity allocation at maximum 25%. In a severe crisis, the cap is set at 10%. This drastic defensive posture follows the empirical observation that crises typically require time to develop and that early reduction can avoid substantial losses (Faber, 2007).
This override logic implements a "safety first" principle: in situations of existential danger to the portfolio, capital preservation becomes the top priority. Roy (1952) formalized this approach in "Safety First and the Holding of Assets," arguing that investors should primarily minimize ruin probability.
9. Integration and Final Allocation Calculation
9.1 Component Weighting
The final allocation recommendation emerges through weighted aggregation of the five components. The standard weighting is: Market Regime 35%, Risk Management 25%, Valuation 20%, Sentiment 15%, Macro 5%. These weights reflect both theoretical considerations and empirical backtesting results.
The highest weighting of market regime is based on evidence that trend-following and momentum strategies have delivered robust results across various asset classes and time periods (Moskowitz, Ooi, and Pedersen, 2012). Current market momentum is highly informative for the near future, although it provides no information about long-term expectations.
The substantial weighting of risk management (25%) follows from the central importance of risk control. Wealth preservation is the foundation of long-term wealth creation, and systematic risk management is demonstrably value-creating (Moreira and Muir, 2017).
The valuation component receives 20% weight, based on the long-term mean reversion of valuation metrics. While valuation has limited short-term predictive power (bull and bear markets can begin at any valuation), the long-term relationship between valuation and returns is robustly documented (Campbell and Shiller, 1988).
Sentiment (15%) and Macro (5%) receive lower weights, as these factors are subtler and harder to measure. Sentiment is valuable as a contrarian indicator at extremes but less informative in normal ranges. Macro variables such as the yield curve have strong predictive power for recessions, but the transmission from recessions to stock market performance is complex and temporally variable.
9.2 Model Type Adjustments
DEAM allows users to choose between four model types: Conservative, Balanced, Aggressive, and Adaptive. This choice modifies the final allocation through additive adjustments.
Conservative mode subtracts 10 percentage points from allocation, resulting in consistently more cautious positioning. This is suitable for risk-averse investors or those with limited investment horizons. Aggressive mode adds 10 percentage points, suitable for risk-tolerant investors with long horizons.
Adaptive mode implements procyclical adjustment based on short-term momentum: if the market has risen more than 5% in the last 20 days, 5 percentage points are added; if it has declined more than 5%, 5 points are subtracted. This logic follows the observation that short-term momentum persists (Jegadeesh and Titman, 1993), but the moderate size of adjustment avoids excessive timing bets.
Balanced mode makes no adjustment and uses raw model output. This neutral setting is suitable for investors who wish to trust model recommendations unchanged.
9.3 Smoothing and Stability
The allocation resulting from aggregation undergoes final smoothing through a simple moving average over 3 periods. This smoothing is crucial for model practicality, as it reduces frequent trading and thus transaction costs. Without smoothing, the model could fluctuate between adjacent allocations with every small input change.
The choice of 3 periods as smoothing window is a compromise between responsiveness and stability. Longer smoothing would excessively delay signals and impede response to true regime changes. Shorter or no smoothing would allow too much noise. Empirical tests showed that 3-period smoothing offers an optimal ratio between these goals.
10. Visualization and Interpretation
10.1 Main Output: Equity Allocation
DEAM's primary output is a time series from 0 to 100 representing the recommended percentage allocation to equities. This representation is intuitive: 100% means full investment in stocks (specifically: an S&P 500 ETF), 0% means complete cash position, and intermediate values correspond to mixed portfolios. A value of 60% means, for example: invest 60% of wealth in SPY, hold 40% in money market instruments or cash.
The time series is color-coded to enable quick visual interpretation. Green shades represent high allocations (above 80%, bullish), red shades low allocations (below 20%, bearish), and neutral colors middle allocations. The chart background is dynamically colored based on the signal, enhancing readability in different market phases.
10.2 Dashboard Metrics
A tabular dashboard presents key metrics compactly. This includes current allocation, cash allocation (complement), an aggregated signal (BULLISH/NEUTRAL/BEARISH), current market regime, VIX level, market drawdown, and crisis status.
Additionally, fundamental metrics are displayed: P/E Ratio, Equity Risk Premium, Return on Equity, Debt-to-Equity Ratio, and Total Shareholder Yield. This transparency allows users to understand model decisions and form their own assessments.
Component scores (Regime, Risk, Valuation, Sentiment, Macro) are also displayed, each normalized on a 0-100 scale. This shows which factors primarily drive the current recommendation. If, for example, the Risk score is very low (20) while other scores are moderate (50-60), this indicates that risk management considerations are pulling allocation down.
10.3 Component Breakdown (Optional)
Advanced users can display individual components as separate lines in the chart. This enables analysis of component dynamics: do all components move synchronously, or are there divergences? Divergences can be particularly informative. If, for example, the market regime is bullish (high score) but the valuation component is very negative, this signals an overbought market not fundamentally supported—a classic "bubble warning."
This feature is disabled by default to keep the chart clean but can be activated for deeper analysis.
10.4 Confidence Bands
The model optionally displays uncertainty bands around the main allocation line. These are calculated as ±1 standard deviation of allocation over a rolling 20-period window. Wide bands indicate high volatility of model recommendations, suggesting uncertain market conditions. Narrow bands indicate stable recommendations.
This visualization implements a concept of epistemic uncertainty—uncertainty about the model estimate itself, not just market volatility. In phases where various indicators send conflicting signals, the allocation recommendation becomes more volatile, manifesting in wider bands. Users can understand this as a warning to act more cautiously or consult alternative information sources.
11. Alert System
11.1 Allocation Alerts
DEAM implements an alert system that notifies users of significant events. Allocation alerts trigger when smoothed allocation crosses certain thresholds. An alert is generated when allocation reaches 80% (from below), signaling strong bullish conditions. Another alert triggers when allocation falls to 20%, indicating defensive positioning.
These thresholds are not arbitrary but correspond with boundaries between model regimes. An allocation of 80% roughly corresponds to a clear bull market regime, while 20% corresponds to a bear market regime. Alerts at these points are therefore informative about fundamental regime shifts.
11.2 Crisis Alerts
Separate alerts trigger upon detection of crisis and severe crisis. These alerts have highest priority as they signal large risks. A crisis alert should prompt investors to review their portfolio and potentially take defensive measures beyond the automatic model recommendation (e.g., hedging through put options, rebalancing to more defensive sectors).
11.3 Regime Change Alerts
An alert triggers upon change of market regime (e.g., from Neutral to Correction, or from Bull Market to Strong Bull). Regime changes are highly informative events that typically entail substantial allocation changes. These alerts enable investors to proactively respond to changes in market dynamics.
11.4 Risk Breach Alerts
A specialized alert triggers when actual portfolio risk utilization exceeds target parameters by 20%. This is a warning signal that the risk management system is reaching its limits, possibly because market volatility is rising faster than allocation can be reduced. In such situations, investors should consider manual interventions.
12. Practical Application and Limitations
12.1 Portfolio Implementation
DEAM generates a recommendation for allocation between equities (S&P 500) and cash. Implementation by an investor can take various forms. The most direct method is using an S&P 500 ETF (e.g., SPY, VOO) for equity allocation and a money market fund or savings account for cash allocation.
A rebalancing strategy is required to synchronize actual allocation with model recommendation. Two approaches are possible: (1) rule-based rebalancing at every 10% deviation between actual and target, or (2) time-based monthly rebalancing. Both have trade-offs between responsiveness and transaction costs. Empirical evidence (Jaconetti, Kinniry, and Zilbering, 2010) suggests rebalancing frequency has moderate impact on performance, and investors should optimize based on their transaction costs.
12.2 Adaptation to Individual Preferences
The model offers numerous adjustment parameters. Component weights can be modified if investors place more or less belief in certain factors. A fundamentally-oriented investor might increase valuation weight, while a technical trader might increase regime weight.
Risk target parameters (target volatility, max drawdown) should be adapted to individual risk tolerance. Younger investors with long investment horizons can choose higher target volatility (15-18%), while retirees may prefer lower volatility (8-10%). This adjustment systematically shifts average equity allocation.
Crisis thresholds can be adjusted based on preference for sensitivity versus specificity of crisis detection. Lower thresholds (e.g., VIX > 35 instead of 40) increase sensitivity (more crises are detected) but reduce specificity (more false alarms). Higher thresholds have the reverse effect.
12.3 Limitations and Disclaimers
DEAM is based on historical relationships between indicators and market performance. There is no guarantee these relationships will persist in the future. Structural changes in markets (e.g., through regulation, technology, or central bank policy) can break established patterns. This is the fundamental problem of induction in financial science (Taleb, 2007).
The model is optimized for US equities (S&P 500). Application to other markets (international stocks, bonds, commodities) would require recalibration. The indicators and thresholds are specific to the statistical properties of the US equity market.
The model cannot eliminate losses. Even with perfect crisis prediction, an investor following the model would lose money in bear markets—just less than a buy-and-hold investor. The goal is risk-adjusted performance improvement, not risk elimination.
Transaction costs are not modeled. In practice, spreads, commissions, and taxes reduce net returns. Frequent trading can cause substantial costs. Model smoothing helps minimize this, but users should consider their specific cost situation.
The model reacts to information; it does not anticipate it. During sudden shocks (e.g., 9/11, COVID-19 lockdowns), the model can only react after price movements, not before. This limitation is inherent to all reactive systems.
12.4 Relationship to Other Strategies
DEAM is a tactical asset allocation approach and should be viewed as a complement, not replacement, for strategic asset allocation. Brinson, Hood, and Beebower (1986) showed in their influential study "Determinants of Portfolio Performance" that strategic asset allocation (long-term policy allocation) explains the majority of portfolio performance, but this leaves room for tactical adjustments based on market timing.
The model can be combined with value and momentum strategies at the individual stock level. While DEAM controls overall market exposure, within-equity decisions can be optimized through stock-picking models. This separation between strategic (market exposure) and tactical (stock selection) levels follows classical portfolio theory.
The model does not replace diversification across asset classes. A complete portfolio should also include bonds, international stocks, real estate, and alternative investments. DEAM addresses only the US equity allocation decision within a broader portfolio.
13. Scientific Foundation and Evaluation
13.1 Theoretical Consistency
DEAM's components are based on established financial theory and empirical evidence. The market regime component follows from regime-switching models (Hamilton, 1989) and trend-following literature. The risk management component implements volatility targeting (Moreira and Muir, 2017) and modern portfolio theory (Markowitz, 1952). The valuation component is based on discounted cash flow theory and empirical value research (Campbell and Shiller, 1988; Fama and French, 1992). The sentiment component integrates behavioral finance (Baker and Wurgler, 2006). The macro component uses established business cycle indicators (Estrella and Mishkin, 1998).
This theoretical grounding distinguishes DEAM from purely data-mining-based approaches that identify patterns without causal theory. Theory-guided models have greater probability of functioning out-of-sample, as they are based on fundamental mechanisms, not random correlations (Lo and MacKinlay, 1990).
13.2 Empirical Validation
While this document does not present detailed backtest analysis, it should be noted that rigorous validation of a tactical asset allocation model should include several elements:
In-sample testing establishes whether the model functions at all in the data on which it was calibrated. Out-of-sample testing is crucial: the model should be tested in time periods not used for development. Walk-forward analysis, where the model is successively trained on rolling windows and tested in the next window, approximates real implementation.
Performance metrics should be risk-adjusted. Pure return consideration is misleading, as higher returns often only compensate for higher risk. Sharpe Ratio, Sortino Ratio, Calmar Ratio, and Maximum Drawdown are relevant metrics. Comparison with benchmarks (Buy-and-Hold S&P 500, 60/40 Stock/Bond portfolio) contextualizes performance.
Robustness checks test sensitivity to parameter variation. If the model only functions at specific parameter settings, this indicates overfitting. Robust models show consistent performance over a range of plausible parameters.
13.3 Comparison with Existing Literature
DEAM fits into the broader literature on tactical asset allocation. Faber (2007) presented a simple momentum-based timing system that goes long when the market is above its 10-month average, otherwise cash. This simple system avoided large drawdowns in bear markets. DEAM can be understood as a sophistication of this approach that integrates multiple information sources.
Ilmanen (2011) discusses various timing factors in "Expected Returns" and argues for multi-factor approaches. DEAM operationalizes this philosophy. Asness, Moskowitz, and Pedersen (2013) showed that value and momentum effects work across asset classes, justifying cross-asset application of regime and valuation signals.
Ang (2014) emphasizes in "Asset Management: A Systematic Approach to Factor Investing" the importance of systematic, rule-based approaches over discretionary decisions. DEAM is fully systematic and eliminates emotional biases that plague individual investors (overconfidence, hindsight bias, loss aversion).
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