Dave Poxon
The Index Strategist
Many years ago I figured out that algorithmic trading for the most part subscribes to the age of paradigm that “nothing works all the time but some things work some of the time” This is very true fro trading approaches in most markets.
One concept that I do like to employ is the concept of biased system trading. What is biased systems Trading? Biased system trading means that a trading approach (in my case algorithms) can be tilted to towards favoring either up trends or down trends. The most obvious example of this is the mutual fund industry that buys long only. They do well when the equity markets rise and poorly when they fall. For trading the same concepts exists but on a smaller scale. Why Bias at all? The answer is behavior. Human beings are generally predictable and so are their behaviors. How a market behaves in an uptrend is different than how a market behaves in a down trend. By designing a trading approach for different markets, traders can achieve more success AND !! if a biased algo is starting to reverse its profit trend (we call this Algo trend) then its a clue as to a new trend developing.
I run 2 types of Algos, Trend and Chop market with signals designed to profit when the market is trending or chopping. I also like to bias these models market towards one trend or another. The benefit of of this approach is that the markets tend to move in waves, both up and down and as such there will always be something working. Below are to graphics showing two US 30 year algos, a bull biased algo on top and a bear on the bottom.
In the top, we see how a bear system performed well in a downward environment while the bottom shows how the bull performed when prices rose. Click for full screen images.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water around 1.1900
EUR/USD edges a tad lower around the 1.1900 area, coming under mild pressure despite the US Dollar keeps the offered stance on turnaround Tuesday. On the US data front, December Retail Sales fell short of expectations, while the ADP four week average printed at 6.5K.
GBP/USD looks weak near 1.3670
GBP/USD trades on the back foot around the 1.3670 region on Tuesday. Cable’s modest retracement also comes in tandem with the decent decline in the Greenback. Moving forward, the US NFP and CPI data in combination with key UK releases should kee the quid under scrutiny in the next few days.
USD/JPY drops toward 155.00 as focus shifts to US data
USD/JPY meets fresh supply and inches closer toward 155.00 in the Asian session on Tuesday. The Japanese Yen holds the upper hand over the US Dollar after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to a historic landslide win and on intervention talks. Traders brace for key US economic data that could offer more clues on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water around 1.1900
EUR/USD edges a tad lower around the 1.1900 area, coming under mild pressure despite the US Dollar keeps the offered stance on turnaround Tuesday. On the US data front, December Retail Sales fell short of expectations, while the ADP four week average printed at 6.5K.
GBP/USD looks weak near 1.3670
GBP/USD trades on the back foot around the 1.3670 region on Tuesday. Cable’s modest retracement also comes in tandem with the decent decline in the Greenback. Moving forward, the US NFP and CPI data in combination with key UK releases should kee the quid under scrutiny in the next few days.
Gold the battle of wills continues with bulls not ready to give up
Gold comes under marked selling pressure on Tuesday, giving back part of its recent two day advance and threatening to challenge the key $5,000 mark per troy ounce. The yellow metal’s correction follows a better tone in the risk complex, a lower Greenback and shrinking US Treasuty yields.
AI Crypto Update: BankrCoin, Pippin surge as sector market cap steadies above $12B
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) segment is largely on the back foot with major coins such as Bittensor (TAO) and Internet Computer (ICP) extending losses amid a sticky risk-off sentiment.
Dollar drops and stocks rally: The week of reckoning for US economic data
Following a sizeable move lower in US technology Stocks last week, we have witnessed a meaningful recovery unfold. The USD Index is in a concerning position; the monthly price continues to hold the south channel support.
RECOMMENDED LESSONS
Making money in forex is easy if you know how the bankers trade!
I’m often mystified in my educational forex articles why so many traders struggle to make consistent money out of forex trading. The answer has more to do with what they don’t know than what they do know. After working in investment banks for 20 years many of which were as a Chief trader its second knowledge how to extract cash out of the market.
5 Forex News Events You Need To Know
In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.
Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know
Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.
7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams
The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?
What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make
Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.
The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
Successful trading often comes down to timing – entering and exiting trades at the right moments. Yet timing the market is notoriously difficult, largely because human psychology can derail even the best plans. Two powerful emotions in particular – fear and greed – tend to drive trading decisions off course.