Strategy Results Indicator

The Strategy Results Indicator provides an easy way to track specific trading results using a start date that is different than shown on the charts or performance reports. The indicator has the ability to show strategy results from any start date.

This is useful for understanding how the strategy is performing during actual days that trades are being made. Frequently, performance reports combine previous trades, which could contain hypothetical trades along with actual current trades. In order to separate these two groups, the Strategy Results Indicator was created.

There is only one input for the indicator, which is the starting date for the trading record. The input must be in a particular date format so the program can properly function.

Date Configuration Format:

The date configuration format needs to have seven digits:

Digits 1 – 3 describe the year Digits 4, 5 describe the month Digits 6, 7 describe the day

Digits 1 – 3:

Digit 1 describes the century Digits 2, 3 describe the year

For dates that are in the previous century, i.e. any date from 1900 – 1999, the first digit is a zero. For dates that are from 2000 to the present, the first digit is a 1.

The second and third digits describe the year by truncating the year into only the last two numbers. For example, the year 2000 would be truncated to 00; the year 2001 would be truncated into 01. Do not omit any digits or zeros; make sure all seven digits carry the necessary information to the indicator.

Digits 4, 5:

The fourth and fifth digits contain the month the indicator will use to begin tracking the trading results. These will be the normal progression of months beginning with January as 01, February as 02, etc. Be sure and use two digits to describe the month, do not drop the zero from months that contain only one cardinal number. Digits 6, 7:

The sixth and seventh digits contain the day of the month that the indicator will use to begin tracking trading results. This is the calendar day of the month and needs to be entered as two digits. If it is the first day of the month, the sixth and seventh digits need to be expressed as 01, the second day of the month would be expressed as 02, and so on. Do not drop off the zero from days that have only one cardinal number.

Strategy Results Indicator Examples:

Begin tracking specific trading results by inserting the indicator into the workspace chart. Any strategy may be tracked and must be already inserted and running for the indicator to produce any output. Then set the input to the correct date you wish to start tracking the results using the seven digit date criteria outlined in the previous section.

For this example, the Strategy Results Indicator is set to begin tracking results starting at mid-night on July 21, 2012. The correct input for this date would be “1120721”.

Please note that the starting date will begin tracking results at midnight of the day described. If a trade is already underway, i.e. an open strategy position, then the indicator will track the results from this point onward.

In cases that the indicator is tracking results from mid-trade, then the indicator will show whatever gain or loss there is at the time it begins tracking, and carry this difference forward.

Shown next is an example workspace with the Strategy Results Indicator inserted: The Strategy Results Indicator tracking 1 contract

The strategy is trading throughout the chart, but the indicator is only showing the results from a specific date onward. This illustrates the basic purpose of the indicator.

Some other features are that the closed trade equity is displayed as a histogram while the open trade equity is displayed as a line.

If the number of contracts, or shares, being traded is changed; the indicator tracks the total amount as shown in the next example: The Strategy Results Indicator tracking 5 contracts