Limit Order Execution Assumptions

Limit orders are filled at a specific price or better (for long better = lower, for short better = higher). In backtesting MultiCharts works:

• Either with all prices between Open, High, Low, Close of a bar, assuming that all these prices are real;
• Or with specific prices only, when 1 tick resolution is chosen or Bar Magnifier is used.

Limit order execution behavior for backtesting can be modified in the Backtesting tab of Strategy Properties window.

There are 4 different variants:

1. Chart resolution is 1 tick or Bar Magnifier of any resolution is enabled. Backtesting Assumptions is set to Fill limit order when trade takes place at limit price or better.
   Example: Generated order: sellshort limit @ 121; available prices: 120, 122, 125, ...; order is filled @ 122.
2. Chart resolution is 1 tick or Bar Magnifier of any resolution is enabled. Backtesting Assumptions is set to Fill limit order when trade price goes beyond limit price by 3 points.
   Example: Generated order: sellshort limit @ 121; available prices: 120, 122, 125, ...; order is filled @ 125.
3. Chart resolution is not 1 tick and Bar Magnifier is not enabled. Backtesting Assumptions is set to Fill limit order when trade takes place at limit price or better.
   Example: Generated order: sellshort limit @ 121; order is filled @ 121 or better if 121 (or better) is between High and Low of the bar.
4. Chart resolution is not 1 tick and Bar Magnifier is not enabled. Backtesting Assumptions is set to Fill limit order when trade price goes beyond limit price by 3 points.
   Example: Generated order: sellshort limit @ 121; order is filled @ 124 if 124 price is between High and Low; order is not filled at all if there is not 124 price between High and Low of the bar.

Since MultiCharts 10 it is possible to specify TIF (time in force) for Backtesting Assumptions. At the moment only 2 TIFs are available: GTC and DAY.

To specify the TIF open Strategy Properties. Then go to Backtesting tab and select Fill limit order when trade price goes beyond limit price by … points, and then the selection of TIFs will be activated.

This setting doesn’t influence autotrading. With GTC backtesting works as always. With DAY – Session Break is taken into consideration: all active price orders (Limit and Stop Limit) “forget” their statuses and on the new bar opening are considered to be newly placed, which leads to the situation when there’s a gap and the order is guaranteed to be executed, the orders are filled on the bar Open, and not on the Limit price.

This mode does not influence orders with special state (BreakEven, PercentTrailing, Dollartrailing).