Pair Trading Strategy Journal

Discussion in 'Journals' started by jonnysharp, Aug 18, 2008.

  1. what are the 'best signals'? Pretty sure your definition and mine would vary and besides, if the software gave you all the winners, what would be the fun in that???
     
    #1951     Mar 16, 2010
  2. mmp/paa looks like a no-brainer. this i am sure will inevitably lead to a loss.
     
    #1952     Mar 16, 2010
  3. BD1

    BD1

    Entered new pair:

    Long SWN
    Short UPL

    This has been one of my better pairs. Hope it stays that way.
     
    #1953     Mar 16, 2010
  4. ascheer7

    ascheer7

    Does anyone know what the current version of PTF is and how to download it. I suspect my version is older than the current.
     
    #1954     Mar 16, 2010
  5. BD1

    BD1

    Just closed CY/FCS for a nice gain.

    Thanks to coreed for the trade idea.

    I closed before I got the signal and it might get an exit signal today anyway. But a bird in the hand.....

    I will exit early if it looks like the ratio has hit tomorrow's mean range. See the chart below. I used thinkorswim thinkdesk which has live ratio charts to fine-tune exits. I draw a trend line on the MA line to look ahead to the next day. You can see the actual ratio (1.18008) on the lower right margin is below tomorrow MA. So I take the gain. (Will do this on the losing side also).
     
    #1955     Mar 16, 2010
  6. BD1

    BD1

    Well this trade just got the exit signal anyway. I have had too many good trades reverse the next day after almost exiting with a profit. So I added this trading rule to look ahead one day. Occasionally I give up a bit on the upside but in my experience I have preserved more profit this way and it seems to smooth out the equity curve.

    I also look at total $ of profit for a trade. This one was about 2 times my average trade which was another reason to exit it.
     
    #1956     Mar 16, 2010
  7. Davidg29

    Davidg29

    You don't need to use the filters, you can just take the trades as given by the software and you will still be profitable.
     
    #1957     Mar 16, 2010
  8. coreed

    coreed

    Why do you think it will inevitably be a loss?
     
    #1958     Mar 16, 2010
  9. coreed

    coreed

    BD1 don't complicate your life by second guessing your system. Often doing nothing is the hardest thing to do.But you have to learn how to do it. Let your profits run.

    Tomorrow might be the day that GS upgrades/downgrades one side of the pair. On the other hand the spread might widen, and you will feel justified in second guessing your system today. Unfortunately, all you have done is reinforced a bad habit, which will not serve you in the long run. Systems are not supposed to be second guessed.

    Not trying to lecture BD1, I am happy you are seeing a profit, just want you to feel good for the right reason :)
     
    #1959     Mar 16, 2010
  10. coreed

    coreed

    New Trade. NYSE Building Materials:

    Bought NX @ 16.04
    Sold WY @ 44.49

    What I like about trade:

    Great non-trending ratio chart
    Big diff. btwn ratio and ratio mean.
    % -> Mean is at historic levels
    Spread is at 50d high

    What I don't:

    Would prefer to see the corr chart pointing up or flat at higher reading.
     
    #1960     Mar 16, 2010