bonds, commodities, equities, REITs · Global · CFDs, ETFs, funds, futures · Monthly Free

Global 5-Asset Trend-Following Strategy Using 10-Month SMA Filter

Academic paper

AuthorsMeb Faber; Cambria Investment Management

Paper linkhttp://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=962461

Screenshot from the original paper

Teaser

Investment universe: 5 ETFs (SPY, EFA, BND, VNQ, GSG). Portfolio equally weighted. Hold if over 10-month SMA, else cash.

Strategy in a nutshell

The investment universe comprises five ETFs: SPY (US stocks), EFA (foreign stocks), BND (bonds), VNQ (REITs), and GSG (commodities). The portfolio maintains equal weighting across these ETFs. Each asset class ETF is held only when its value exceeds its ten-month Simple Moving Average (SMA); otherwise, the portfolio remains in cash. This strategy aims to capitalize on favourable market conditions indicated by the SMA while avoiding exposure to asset classes experiencing downward trends, thereby optimizing investment performance.

Economic rationale

The strategy operates on a simple premise: momentum or trend-following filters identify periods of lower performance coupled with higher volatility, as well as periods of higher performance with lower volatility. Successful implementation naturally leads to outperforming a passive buy-and-hold approach. This strategy consistently outperforms passive holding with lower drawdowns, as demonstrated in research findings. By timing each asset class appropriately, it surpasses passive strategies while minimizing risks. Diversification benefits from low asset correlation are leveraged in a multi-asset portfolio with momentum filters, enabling investment in favorable asset classes while avoiding unfavorable ones. Practically, since 1973, adopting this strategy would have enhanced risk-adjusted returns through diversified assets and market timing, avoiding significant losses during bear markets. This approach offers equity-like returns with bond-like volatility and drawdowns, as highlighted by Collie, Sylvanus, and Thomas. They emphasize the volatility of market volatility, advocating for adaptable asset allocation to navigate market fluctuations effectively.

Entry & exit

Entry

On each month, scan SPY, EFA, IEF, VNQ, GSG. Long every name whose close is above its 210-day SMA, equal-weight. Skip names still below the average. An empty weight dict is 100% cash.

Exit

At the next rebalance, drop any name whose close has fallen back to or below the 210-day SMA. If the whole book is below trend, go fully to cash. Fills use 5 bps commission and 2 bps slippage.

Market data required

Needs at least 210 adjusted daily closes on SPY, EFA, IEF, VNQ, GSG before the first signal is ready. ETF columns print on exchange sessions only. The lab loads Yahoo Finance via backtest.data.load_daily_prices.

Symbols

SPY, EFA, IEF, VNQ, GSG

Frequency

Monthly · Daily adjusted close; signals rebalance on the month change (last available session)

History needed

≥ 210 trading days per symbol (about 10 months), plus a few extra bars so the first signal can fire.

Fields

Adjusted close (Yahoo auto_adjust)
Session date index

Credentials

None for paper and the onsite lab
Broker or exchange API keys only for live orders

APIs & providers

Quant Buffet Data API

The lab calls load_daily_prices for the ASSETS panel of adjusted closes, then caches CSV so backtests replay the same series.

Provider: backtest.data.load_daily_prices
Auth: None for paper / sandbox backtests
Endpoints: load_daily_prices(ASSETS, start="2000-01-01")

API / docs → /en/docs/data-api

Yahoo Finance via yfinance

US equities and ETFs, adjusted OHLCV, free for research (rate limits apply).

Provider: yfinance → Yahoo Finance
Auth: None for public history
Endpoints: Ticker.history / yf.download(auto_adjust=True)

API / docs → github.com/ranaroussi/yfinance

Onsite backtest IDE

Quant Buffet native backtest IDE

Edit and run Quant Buffet Python for Global 5-Asset Trend-Following Strategy Using 10-Month SMA Filter in the browser. Results update live with equity, drawdown, and metrics charts. Allowed: backtest.data, backtest.engine, backtest.metrics, numpy, pandas. Define ASSETS and make_on_day(prices). Shortcut: Ctrl+Enter. API docs →

IDE · 40 lines

"""
Quant Buffet interactive lab — asset-class-trend-following
Allowed: backtest.data / backtest.engine / backtest.metrics, numpy, pandas.
Required: a module-level ASSETS list, and def make_on_day(prices) returning (on_day, ready)
"""
from __future__ import annotations

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

from backtest.data import load_daily_prices
from backtest.engine import EngineConfig, PortfolioEngine
from backtest.metrics import compute_metrics

ASSETS = ['SPY', 'EFA', 'IEF', 'VNQ', 'GSG']
SMA_DAYS = 210

def make_on_day(prices: pd.DataFrame):
    cols = [c for c in ASSETS if c in prices.columns]
    sma = prices[cols].rolling(SMA_DAYS, min_periods=SMA_DAYS).mean()
    state = {"last": None}

    def on_day(engine: PortfolioEngine, dt: pd.Timestamp) -> None:
        if sma.loc[dt].isna().all():
            return
        key = (dt.year, dt.month)
        if state["last"] == key:
            return
        state["last"] = key
        long = [
            s for s in cols
            if pd.notna(prices.at[dt, s]) and pd.notna(sma.at[dt, s])
            and prices.at[dt, s] > sma.at[dt, s]
        ]
        w = {} if not long else {s: 1.0 / len(long) for s in long}
        engine.set_target_weights(dt, w)

    ready = sma.dropna(how="all").index.min() if sma.notna().any().any() else None
    return on_day, ready

"""
Quant Buffet interactive lab — asset-class-trend-following
Allowed: backtest.data / backtest.engine / backtest.metrics, numpy, pandas.
Required: a module-level ASSETS list, and def make_on_day(prices) returning (on_day, ready)
"""
from __future__ import annotations

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

from backtest.data import load_daily_prices
from backtest.engine import EngineConfig, PortfolioEngine
from backtest.metrics import compute_metrics

ASSETS = ['SPY', 'EFA', 'IEF', 'VNQ', 'GSG']
SMA_DAYS = 210

def make_on_day(prices: pd.DataFrame):
    cols = [c for c in ASSETS if c in prices.columns]
    sma = prices[cols].rolling(SMA_DAYS, min_periods=SMA_DAYS).mean()
    state = {"last": None}

def on_day(engine: PortfolioEngine, dt: pd.Timestamp) -> None:
        if sma.loc[dt].isna().all():
            return
        key = (dt.year, dt.month)
        if state["last"] == key:
            return
        state["last"] = key
        long = [
            s for s in cols
            if pd.notna(prices.at[dt, s]) and pd.notna(sma.at[dt, s])
            and prices.at[dt, s] > sma.at[dt, s]
        ]
        w = {} if not long else {s: 1.0 / len(long) for s in long}
        engine.set_target_weights(dt, w)

ready = sma.dropna(how="all").index.min() if sma.notna().any().any() else None
    return on_day, ready

Quant Buffet syntax cheat sheet (copy / insert)

Paste these fragments into the editor. The sandbox rejects QuantConnect, os, and network libraries.

Required imports

Only these libraries are allowed in the sandbox.

from __future__ import annotations

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

from backtest.data import load_daily_prices
from backtest.engine import EngineConfig, PortfolioEngine
from backtest.metrics import compute_metrics

ASSETS list (whitelisted ETFs)

Module-level list. Tickers must be in the Quant Buffet whitelist.

ASSETS = ["SPY", "QQQ", "TLT", "GLD", "BIL"]

make_on_day contract

Must return (on_day, ready). on_day calls engine.set_target_weights.

def make_on_day(prices: pd.DataFrame):
    cols = [c for c in ASSETS if c in prices.columns]
    sma = prices[cols].rolling(200, min_periods=200).mean()
    state = {"last": None}

    def on_day(engine: PortfolioEngine, dt: pd.Timestamp) -> None:
        if sma.loc[dt].isna().all():
            return
        key = (dt.year, dt.month)
        if state["last"] == key:
            return
        state["last"] = key
        long = [
            s for s in cols
            if pd.notna(prices.at[dt, s]) and pd.notna(sma.at[dt, s])
            and prices.at[dt, s] > sma.at[dt, s]
        ]
        weights = {} if not long else {s: 1.0 / len(long) for s in long}
        engine.set_target_weights(dt, weights)

    ready = sma.dropna(how="all").index.min() if sma.notna().any().any() else None
    return on_day, ready

Set target weights

Weights should sum to about 1.0. Empty dict = 100% cash.

engine.set_target_weights(dt, {"SPY": 0.60, "BIL": 0.40})

Live backtest performance

CAGR

7.58%

Sharpe

0.69

Max DD

-24.98%

Vol

11.53%

Sortino

1.04

Beta

0.26

Up days

83%

Stored preview only. Run backtest to simulate every daily session from Yahoo Finance adjusted closes.

Run the backtest to load orders, then mark them on the equity chart.

Equity curve (indexed = 100)

Accent = strategy · dashed grey = buy-and-hold benchmark. Hover or tap any point for its date and values.

Drawdown

Metrics bar chart

Monthly returns

Order records

Run the backtest to load every order fill alongside performance.

Export to your platform

Transform Quant Buffet lab code (ASSETS + make_on_day / PortfolioEngine) into native classes for a third-party IDE — then copy and paste.

Target platform

Run in: QuantConnect Cloud or LEAN CLI · QCAlgorithm with Equity securities and monthly rebalance.

Detected pattern: SMA trendAssets: SPY, EFA, IEF, VNQ, GSG

# Generated from Quant Buffet → QuantConnect LEAN
# Strategy: Global 5-Asset Trend-Following Strategy Using 10-Month SMA Filter
# Detected pattern: SMA trend
# Source uses Quant Buffet lab APIs (ASSETS + make_on_day / PortfolioEngine).
# Review fees, data, and risk before live trading — educational export only.

from AlgorithmImports import *


class QuantBuffetExport(QCAlgorithm):
    def Initialize(self):
        self.SetStartDate(2010, 1, 1)
        self.SetCash(100000)
        tickers = ["SPY", "EFA", "IEF", "VNQ", "GSG"]
        self.symbols = []
        for t in tickers:
            if "-" in t:  # crypto proxy e.g. BTC-USD
                self.symbols.append(self.AddCrypto(t.replace("-USD", ""), Resolution.Daily).Symbol)
            else:
                self.symbols.append(self.AddEquity(t, Resolution.Daily).Symbol)
        self.Schedule.On(
            self.DateRules.MonthStart(self.symbols[0]),
            self.TimeRules.AfterMarketOpen(self.symbols[0], 30),
            self.Rebalance,
        )
        # Logic: Long assets where close > SMA(210); equal-weight; monthly.

    def Rebalance(self):
        longs = []
        for symbol in self.symbols:
            hist = self.History(symbol, 210 + 5, Resolution.Daily)
            if hist.empty: continue
            close = hist["close"].unstack(level=0).iloc[:, 0] if hasattr(hist["close"], "unstack") else hist["close"]
            if len(close) < 210: continue
            if float(close.iloc[-1]) > float(close.iloc[-210:].mean()):
                longs.append(symbol)
        weight = 1.0 / len(longs) if longs else 0.0
        for symbol in self.symbols:
            self.SetHoldings(symbol, weight if symbol in longs else 0.0)

Exported code uses the platform’s native classes and libraries. Install dependencies in your third-party IDE, then run. Validate before live trading.