Why You Should Love Ugly Equity Curves?

Introduction:

Trading might sound like an exciting adventure, but the reality is often less thrilling. Once you dive into the world of real trading systems, you’ll find that it’s not all about finding a perfect strategy with a flawless equity curve. In fact, there are limitations to what any single trading system can achieve.

The Quest for the Holy Grail:

Many traders start with the dream of discovering a holy grail strategy that works wonders. However, the truth is that such a perfect strategy doesn’t exist. Even if you have the best technology and tools, there’s no way to engineer a straight-line equity curve that only goes up.

Drawdowns:

Every trading system, no matter how advanced, will have its drawbacks. Unoptimized strategies, curve-fitting, and added factors like slippage and commission can contribute to drawdowns, making the equity curve less than ideal. It’s normal for a system to experience more than 6 months of drawdown at some point.

Combining Strategies for Success

Instead of endlessly chasing the perfect strategy, successful traders embrace the imperfections of their systems. One key approach is to combine multiple strategies into a portfolio. By diversifying and spreading risk, traders can navigate the ups and downs more effectively.

Comfort with Imperfections:

To be a successful trader, it’s essential to be comfortable with the fact that equity curves won’t always look pretty. The pursuit of a flawless strategy is a delusion, and it’s important to understand that drawdowns, flat periods, and frustrating times are all part of the normal trading experience.

A Guide to Visualizing Equity Curves in No-Code Algo Trading Platforms:

Visualizing the equity curve of your backtested strategy is a crucial step in assessing its performance. Here’s a general guide on how to view your equity curve in No-Code Algo platforms:

  • Log in to your no-code algo trading platform.
  • Navigate to the backtesting or strategy section.
  • Select the specific strategy you want to assess.
  • Look for the visual representation of the equity curve, usually displayed as a line graph.
  • Analyze peaks for high performance and troughs for drawdowns.
  • Identify any significant drawdowns or flat periods on the curve.
  • Consider refining and optimizing your strategy based on the observed performance.
  • Save or export the equity curve data for further analysis or sharing.

QuantMan is one of India’s top online platforms for algorithmic trading that allows users to create, backtest, and deploy algorithmic trading strategies without any coding knowledge. It offers a variety of features, including:

  • A drag-and-drop strategy builder
  • A library of pre-built strategies
  • A Backtesting engine that allows users to test their strategies on historical data
  • A live deployment feature that allows users to deploy their strategies to real-time trading

To learn more about Quantman, Please click on this link: https://www.quantman.in/faq/

An Example of an Equity Curve for a Backtested Strategy in Quantman:


Conclusion:

Real trading systems may not be as exciting as the dream of a perfect strategy, but they are the backbone of successful trading. Embracing the imperfections, understanding the limitations, and combining strategies intelligently are key steps toward navigating the complex world of trading with confidence and resilience.