Systematic Trading

The 7 Backtesting Sins That Kill Trading Strategies Before They Start

Bottom Line Up Front: Even the most sophisticated trading algorithms fail in production because of fundamental backtesting errors. After analyzing thousands of strategy failures, we’ve identified seven critical mistakes that account for over 90% of the gap between backtest and live performance. Master these, and you’ll avoid the graveyard of “perfect” strategies that blew up on day one.

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Carry Strategies Across Asset Classes: Mathematical Foundations

Imagine borrowing money at 1% and lending it at 5%. The 4% difference seems like an obvious profit, yet financial theory suggests this opportunity shouldn’t exist. Markets should quickly eliminate such discrepancies through arbitrage. But across currencies, bonds, and stocks, these “carry” opportunities persist with remarkable consistency.

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Trend Following Strategies: What 137 Years of Research Reveals (2024 Guide)

Trend following has long been a cornerstone strategy for traders and investors. By systematically riding market momentum, trend following strategies have historically delivered strong risk-adjusted returns across various asset classes. But how does the strategy hold up in different environments, and what does academic research say about its efficacy? Let’s explore the key insights from a wealth of scientific literature on trend following.

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