Portfolio Optimization-Based Stock Prediction Using Long-Short Term Memory Network in Quantitativ…

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Academic paper

Portfolio Optimization-Based Stock Prediction Using Long-Short Term Memory Network in Quantitative Trading

AuthorsVan-Dai Ta; Chuan-Ming Liu; Direselign Addis Tadesse

Institute
  • National Taipei University of Technology

Teaser

Hold each liquid ETF only when its price is above a long SMA; equal-weight the longs, cash otherwise. Universe: SPY, EFA, EEM, VGK, EWJ, FXI. Parameters: sma_days=200; rebalance=monthly. Rebalanced on the engine's template schedule with 5 bps commission and 2 bps slippage. Because the paper's primary signal (ML, sentiment, or proprietary data) is not available in our public ETF engine, this draft uses a liquid ETF rule that preserves the paper's economic theme rather than a bit-exact replication

Strategy in a nutshell

In quantitative trading, stock prediction plays an important role in developing an effective trading strategy to achieve a substantial return. Prediction outcomes also are the prerequisites for active portfolio construction and optimization. However, the stock prediction is a challenging task because of the diversified factors involved such as uncertainty and instability. Most of the previous research focuses on analyzing financial historical data based on statistical techniques, which is known as a type of time series analysis with limited achievements. Recently, deep learning techniques, specifically recurrent neural network (RNN), has been designed to work with sequence prediction. In this paper, a long short-term memory (LSTM) network, which is a special kind of RNN, is proposed to pre

Economic rationale

Trend filters exploit persistent serial correlation in asset returns and reduce exposure when prices fall below a long-horizon average, cutting left-tail risk. Related evidence from “Portfolio Optimization-Based Stock Prediction Using Long-Short Term Memory Network in Quantitative Trading”: In quantitative trading, stock prediction plays an important role in developing an effective trading strategy to achieve a substantial return. Prediction outcomes also are the prerequisites for active portfolio construction and optimization. However, the stock prediction is a challenging task because of the diversified factors involved such as uncertainty and instability. Most of the previous research focuses on analyzing financial historical data based on statistical techniques, which is known

Entry & exit

Entry

On each month, scan SPY, EFA, EEM, VGK, EWJ, FXI. Long every name whose close is above its 200-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 200-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 200 adjusted daily closes on SPY, EFA, EEM, VGK, EWJ, FXI 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, EEM, VGK, EWJ, FXI

Frequency

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

History needed

≥ 200 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 Portfolio Optimization-Based Stock Prediction Using Long-Short Term Memory Network in Quantitativ… 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
6.97%
Sharpe
0.52
Max DD
-30.55%
Vol
15.40%
Sortino
0.78
Beta
0.46

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.

603316028732000-102011-032019-062026-08DateIndex (start = 100)
Drawdown
-27%-18%-9%0%2000-102011-032019-062026-08DateDrawdown (%)
Metrics bar chart
Grey = baseline · Accent = live run0.0102031CAGRSharpeSortinoVol|DD|MetricReported value
Monthly returns
-1.0%0.0%+1.0%2020-072022-082024-072026-08MonthReturn (%)

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, EEM, VGK, EWJ, FXI
# Generated from Quant Buffet → QuantConnect LEAN
# Strategy: Portfolio Optimization-Based Stock Prediction Using Long-Short Term Memory Network in Quantitativ…
# 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", "EEM", "VGK", "EWJ", "FXI"]
        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.