Maybe I am misreading the IB screenshot that he posted. The commissions clearly show the 35k, but maybe it's not USD-denominated. I do not trade Forex cash, so I am not sure if I am interpreting these figures correctly.
And that's the real trick, isn't it. To be able to post a clear and concise screenshot of final results, without so much falderal in it that one would have to interpolate the meaning of all the numbers and symbols. Just a simple statement.
What's the merit of participation? Only shows how seriously some take their profession. For me trading is my career, my only income, my provision for my family, through trading I build my best egg. Why would anyone like me feel the slightest desire to participate in a mindless competition and potentially revealing part of their edge? Is the market not competitive enough? Bored? Then look for some other excitement. Sorry but pass...
I knew there is a bunch of BS behind all that. Man, I am getting really good at smelling out BS. Stats are useless in algo trading? Lol, this already says it all.
I did not say stats are useless in algo trading, i said they are useless to me in my algo trading. I am not mining large piles of data for a statistically significant relationship from which to exploit. Stats most certainly have their place, with disc traders to, but price action behaviour can appear to be similar over time but in fact can and is infinitely different which is why stats based strategies fail over time.
Over night update... down $850 screen shots below i felt last night would not be great because of the lack of volatility ahead of NFP. one of the weakness of basic algo strategy and advantage of disc trading. factors not considered by math but a look back in time suggests letting run still more profitable than turn off. also threw in the algo charts which will look quite different by 9am..
In my ATS, I have coded "exclusions" around certain market-moving events, such as FOMC (for the ES) and Weekly Petroleum Report (for the CL). Sure, you may forgo some of the profits by excluding these periods, but you also avoid a lot of undesired volatility. I know you said that you don't care about the performance ratios (which take volatility into consideration), but I approach this with a lot of attention. I suppose this highlights one of the differences between our "machines". We have not entered the "official competition" yet, but since you are posting updates, I'll post mine, as well. No trades for the last 2 days.
thanks for comment.NL5 . .. i agree with you about not running and i think DISC traders can benefit from that comment. ...i am big believer in system within systems with systems...and most of the time for ES i dont run ES at NFP or FOMC (although what i often do is set my ATS fill settings to scale big moves then flatten so that the base algo signal loses, i.e going short at X but i get short at X plus. y +++.. then hit stop or drop and go long / flat = losing algo signal on paper - winning in real trade)... what i have found is volatility cuts both ways and am happy to deal with as long as within my levels. .. today was negative side of coin.. -1600 but that is well within what I tolerate per25k. my losses come from in and out and stocking up lots of little cuts. mentally tough to watch but I often go walk dogs and let chips fall. trading gods giveth and taketh away.. would love a shape of 4 but a retail trader will never get this.