• From: A pineapple under the sea
  • Registered: 2017-05-14
  • Posts: 52

Topic: How many portfolios do you run?

Hello,

After watching Popov's vids on youtube and really getting a better feel for the software (within a short period of time) I have managed to backtest, stress test and put together a decent looking portfolio on a demo account for further testing. I have taken Popov's example shown in the youtube vids and created 6 EA's for 3 different pairs. I also wanted to create the portfolio using less correlated pairs (as far as I can using forex). I gotta say I love the fact that we can quickly glimpse the portfolio results as a whole as opposed to a single EA. Really cool feature.

I am curious as to the other members approach to their EA creations and how many if any portfolios do you create and test at any one time?

Cheers.

  • Blaiserboy
  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

I have a bunch, both demo and real.

Because our process does not deliver the holy grail we have to have a lot of things happening so that we can select the best.

Sometimes we are tempted to try to develop the holy grail but I think we have to accept that a gremlin will get us sooner or later so we should spread our risk as well as we can.

I have a lot of ea's happening, probably too many, but they all contribute a tiny bit.

I use higher time frames most of the time and they are slow to trade... so I make many of them... maybe  just because I am impatient.... lol

I suggest that you make 5 or 10 portfolios, split your capital between them. I do not think it takes a lot of effort to have a bunch of them.

Most important is that we protect ourselves so that we can trade another day.

Maybe make one for beer money, sporting event money, house furnishings..... new car...  all sorts of stuff, just to spread out your capital to protect against Mr Market and his greed.

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  • Registered: 2017-04-16
  • Posts: 382

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

@Blaiserboy

You write in many Posts, you use higher Timeframe.

What for a Timeframe you use?

Greets, Marcus smile

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

I like 240 and daily.....

I have no really good reason to justify that except that the data points are better, less optimization needed, and, to me, it seems simpler....

I, personally, have little interest in being a scalper or a high frequency trader, I am just too old for that, I could not deal with it.  lol

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  • Registered: 2017-04-16
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

That is very interessting, thank you.

Another Question smile

What for SL an TP you use in this Timeframes?

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

That is hard to say, I keep changing those until I get the ratios I want, especially win/loss.

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  • Registered: 2017-04-16
  • Posts: 382

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

Okay,
i have for M15 and H1 this Time most

SL max 40 Pips
TP max 80 Pips

That is why i ask for you, what you use in higher Timeframes, what are yours Experince smile

  • From: A pineapple under the sea
  • Registered: 2017-05-14
  • Posts: 52

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

they are slow to trade... so I make many of them

Yeah that's one way around that issue.

How do you go about diversification? Of course we have CFD's and commodities, then we can add Binary options to the mix.

I am currently thinking about trying 1 pair 3-5 strategies on 1 time frame as one portfolio, then making another portfolio the same but with another instrument. Just a different approach as opposed to mixing within 1 portfolio. I think the biggest challenge will be keeping the drawdown to an amount I am comfortable with. Lots of testing and fine tuning.

suggest that you make 5 or 10 portfolios, split your capital between them. I do not think it takes a lot of effort to have a bunch of them.

And with FOREXSB PRO and the other software on offer it can be easily achieved.

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

I use small lots and that keeps drawdown lo.

I just work with the major Forex Pairs.

Yes, testing and fine tuning.

I think that the testing and fine tuning is where I spend most of my time now, trying to weed out the poorer performers.

Before EA Studio, I think I wasted a lot of time trying to create perfect startegies before testing them. Now I have lowered my standards and test a lot more new ones and then weed them out.

Needless to say, the 'weed pile' is huge every day. hahaha

That reminds me, I have to weed my flower garden today. lol

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  • From: A pineapple under the sea
  • Registered: 2017-05-14
  • Posts: 52

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

Needless to say, the 'weed pile' is huge every day. hahaha

That reminds me, I have to weed my flower garden today. lol

LOL. Yes I can see how EA studio would really stream line everything.

I use small lots and that keeps drawdown lo

Keep it simple right.

  • From: A pineapple under the sea
  • Registered: 2017-05-14
  • Posts: 52

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

https://s11.postimg.org/k3by64m5b/USDCHF_PORTFOLIO.png

Now that is a nice looking portfolio. In theory....lol

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

Some nice looking numbers in there!

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  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

rantampla wrote:

Okay,
i have for M15 and H1 this Time most

SL max 40 Pips
TP max 80 Pips

That is why i ask for you, what you use in higher Timeframes, what are yours Experince smile

I like tight stops 70 or 90 on both and take profit up to 1000 (4hr and daily). (sorry I did not notice your post)

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  • Registered: 2017-04-16
  • Posts: 382

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

No Problem Blaiserboy smile

But 1.000 TP

Pips or Points?

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

Pips.

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16 Reply by rantampla (edited by rantampla 2017-05-28 02:37:11)

  • Registered: 2017-04-16
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

wow, that is a long long way smile

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

several small losses and then a good gain.

I used to use a 2:1 ratio(Approximately) and try to get nice looking equity curves... and then I realized that there were much larger profits if I gambled a bit.

I do not recommend what I use.... there are better ways...

I trade very small lots, the smallest the broker allows, and in that way I avoid the risks of large drawdowns. One day I will get hammered....

Before I went on my holiday, I would watch the charts closely and hedge the losers, I got caught a few times doing that.

The best way, I think, is the conservative way, use reasonable stops and profits, and minimum position size and many different strategies.

With EA Studio, I am experimenting with several things, as it appears to offer a different kind of trading, I am still learning how to use it.

Blaiserboy's Website

  • From: A pineapple under the sea
  • Registered: 2017-05-14
  • Posts: 52

Re: How many portfolios do you run?

I trade very small lots, the smallest the broker allows, and in that way I avoid the risks of large drawdowns

So you have found that by trading micro lots that you can generally avoid large draw downs over your entire portfolio?

  • Blaiserboy
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

Well, when trouble comes I can start to filter out the problems before a lot of damage is done.

There is still difficulties with using small lots but over many strategies, damage can be controlled.

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  • Registered: 2017-07-24
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Re: How many portfolios do you run?

Dave, a couple of questions about your approach: (if you don't mind sharing)

1. You use minimum lot size (0.01) on every trade?
2. How many total EAs are you trading in demo and/or live accounts?
3. How many currency pairs do you trade? Do you have a staple pair (EURUSD?)? Do you trade in commodities or any other vehicle?
4. What is the Maximum Total Drawdown you have experienced in absolute dollars?

ThanX!
John