Market Sentiment and an Overnight Anomaly

Log in to collect

Onsite backtest IDE

Quant Buffet native backtest IDE

Edit and run Quant Buffet Python for Market Sentiment and an Overnight Anomaly 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 →

Ready — edit code, then Run backtest.
IDE · 40 lines
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
6.77%
Sharpe
0.74
Max DD
-19.09%
Vol
9.43%
Sortino
1.11
Beta
0.28
Up days
53%

Run the backtest to populate charts.

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.

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

Detected pattern: SMA trendAssets: SPY, TLT, GLD, BIL
# Generated from Quant Buffet → QuantConnect LEAN
# Strategy: Market Sentiment and an Overnight Anomaly
# 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", "TLT", "GLD", "BIL"]
        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(200); equal-weight; monthly.

    def Rebalance(self):
        longs = []
        for symbol in self.symbols:
            hist = self.History(symbol, 200 + 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) < 200: continue
            if float(close.iloc[-1]) > float(close.iloc[-200:].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.

Academic paper

Market Sentiment and an Overnight Anomaly

AuthorsRadovan Vojtko; Daniela Hanicova

Institute
  • ?Quantpedia.com
  • ?Quantpedia

Screenshot from the original paper

Screenshot from the original paper

Strategy in a nutshell

The investment universe consists of SPY ETF, and the price of SPY, price of VIX and Brain Market Sentiment (BMS) indicator are used to identify the market sentiment. The investor buys SPY ETF and holds it overnight; when the price of SPY is above its 20-day moving average, the price of VIX is below its moving average, and the value of the BMS indicator is greater than its 20-day moving average.

Note that the authors suggest using this strategy as an overlay when deciding whether to make a trade rather than using this system on its own.

Economic rationale

There are numerous possible reasons, which can explain an overnight anomaly. Academic studies show that part of the reason for an overnight anomaly is the high opening prices derived from the accumulation of market orders from market participants, which subsequently decline in the first hour of trading. Some portion of positive overnight returns can be expected due to an illiquidity premium, but liquidity can explain only a small part of the night and day return difference.

Additionally, the explanation for market sentiment is pretty simple. When the sentiment is bullish the general mood on the market is good which means the investors tend to buy more, which makes the mood even better. On the other hand, when the sentiment is bearish the general mood on the market is not so good which means the investors tend to buy less, which makes the mood even worse.

Backtest performance

Annualised return6.77%
Volatility9.43%
Beta0.28
Sharpe ratio0.74
Sortino ratio1.11
Maximum drawdown-19.09%
Win rate53%