Portfolio Backtesting Limitation

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konstantin
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Portfolio Backtesting Limitation

Postby konstantin » 13 Feb 2009

Hi!

Is there a limit of 100 symbols for portfolio backtesting?
If yes: Why?

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Marina Pashkova
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Postby Marina Pashkova » 16 Feb 2009

Hi Konstantin,

Testing in Portfolio Backtester is limited to 100 symbols.

To have an unlimited number of symbols in Portfolio Backtester, you would need to purchase MultiCharts Pro. More information on MultiCharts Pro can be found on the MC page on our website.

Regards.

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konstantin
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Postby konstantin » 17 Feb 2009

What a pity!

Multicharts is an awesome good platform, but the Pro Version is very expensive.
So I will have to go for another software for stock trading. 100 symbols is not enough.

Maybe you can think about offering a third version which is the standard version but unlimited symbols backtesting.

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Marina Pashkova
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Postby Marina Pashkova » 17 Feb 2009

Hi Konstantin,

MultiCharts is extremely reasonably priced if you look at programs with comparable capabilities.

MultiCharts Pro has been created with institutional customers in mind. Apart from the unlimited number of symbols that can be tested in the portfolio backtester, MultiCharts Pro comes with multiple features, including but not limited to, customization according to a customer's wishes. Customers who choose to purchase MultiCharts Pro are as a rule those who work with hundreds of symbols. The ability to trade hundreds of symbols normally goes together with the ability to pay for the premium level product such as MultiCharts Pro.

Regards.

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konstantin
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Postby konstantin » 17 Feb 2009

.....The ability to trade hundreds of symbols normally goes together with the ability to pay for the premium level product such as MultiCharts Pro.

Regards.
Basically you are right for fast time frames, but for EOD stock trading several thousand symbols to pick from are no problem.

Anyway, I will still use Multicharts for single symbol intraday trading.
I'm a satisfied user, but I hope for a higher symbol limit for backtesting in future.

Regards

fs

Postby fs » 17 Feb 2009

What a pity!

Multicharts is an awesome good platform, but the Pro Version is very expensive.
So I will have to go for another software for stock trading. 100 symbols is not enough.

Maybe you can think about offering a third version which is the standard version but unlimited symbols backtesting.
You can use AB for your stock trading and unlimited portfolio backtesting.

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konstantin
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Postby konstantin » 17 Feb 2009

[
You can use AB for your stock trading and unlimited portfolio backtesting.
Thanks for your suggestion, but the programming language is quite different from Easy Language. I can only use something very similar.

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Marina Pashkova
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Postby Marina Pashkova » 18 Feb 2009

What a pity!

Multicharts is an awesome good platform, but the Pro Version is very expensive.
So I will have to go for another software for stock trading. 100 symbols is not enough.

Maybe you can think about offering a third version which is the standard version but unlimited symbols backtesting.
You can use AB for your stock trading and unlimited portfolio backtesting.
Fanus, you are comparing uncomparable things. AB does not have a true dynamic portfolio like MultiCharts does. AB tests each symbol independently and then by hindsight simply deletes those trades that could not have occurred due to the capital limitations. Their program does not understand that next day there can be capital available to open a position. However, there will be no signal to open this position for it has been deleted. At the same time, a new order hasn’t been generated because the system does not know about the previous day’s deletion.

The result of what AB calls backtesting is nothing more than an advanced batch-testing, which has nothing to do with portfolio trading. Neither does this model have anything to do with the reality.

What is more important for you: low price or the quality of simulations?

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geizer
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Postby geizer » 18 Feb 2009

What is more important for you: low price or the quality of simulations?
very interesting...

* Real Money made trading the Real Market = Income =fact
* Real Money paid for expensive Software = Expense =fact
* Trading Strategy = Idea
* Software = Tool =Resources
* Money made doing synthetic simulations = Opinion
* Opinion = Speculation

Idea + Resources = Can be profitable (if you do the right thing) :)

* The "Right Thing" is making sure that Income is greater than Expenses.

Profit = (Income - Expenses) = The "Right Thing"
What is more important for you: low price or the quality of simulations?
The bottom line is more important then anything else, incl. the cost of software and quality of simulations all together. Everything else is just an Opinion, or Speculation.

My estimate is that a buyer of the unlimited version is going to have to spend another five grand on top for something like 8-core, 3.2Ghz PC to offset the time required to test strategy against thousands of symbols. Even then it could take days and days. TS Support, you could do better if Unlimited Pro version was available for lease for few months. Then I might lease it to test an occasional idea. The way it costs today - I will never buy it.
* I'll never buy for this price = fact.
* I might lease = Opinion that may become fact IF (an idea = True) AND (Resources (i.e. time and money) = "Abandance")

All of the above is just an opinion.
Cheers,
--
Pavel


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