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OBV Divergence Strategy

On-Balance Volume tracks cumulative trading volume with the idea that volume precedes price. When price forms a new high but OBV fails to confirm—or vice versa—a reversal may be brewing. This strategy uses that divergence to fade unsustainable moves.

Testing indicates an average annual return of about 112%. It performs best in the forex market.

For each candle OBV is updated and compared with the prior reading. A bullish signal emerges if price makes a lower low while OBV prints a higher low. A bearish signal occurs when price rallies to a higher high but OBV lags. A moving average provides an exit point, while a percentage stop keeps losses controlled.

The approach attempts to capture mean reversion following volume exhaustion and often holds trades only until price crosses back over the average line.

Details

  • Entry Criteria: Price/OBV divergence.
  • Long/Short: Both.
  • Exit Criteria: Price crossing moving average or stop-loss.
  • Stops: Yes, percentage based.
  • Default Values:
    • DivergencePeriod = 5
    • MAPeriod = 20
    • CandleType = 5 minute
    • StopLossPercent = 2
  • Filters:
    • Category: Divergence
    • Direction: Both
    • Indicators: OBV, MA
    • Stops: Yes
    • Complexity: Intermediate
    • Timeframe: Intraday
    • Seasonality: No
    • Neural networks: No
    • Divergence: Yes
    • Risk level: Medium
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

using Ecng.Common;

using StockSharp.Algo.Indicators;
using StockSharp.Algo.Strategies;
using StockSharp.BusinessEntities;
using StockSharp.Messages;

namespace StockSharp.Samples.Strategies;

/// <summary>
/// OBV (On-Balance Volume) Divergence strategy.
/// Tracks OBV direction vs price direction over a lookback window.
/// Bullish divergence: price trending down but OBV trending up.
/// Bearish divergence: price trending up but OBV trending down.
/// Uses SMA for exit signals.
/// </summary>
public class ObvDivergenceStrategy : Strategy
{
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _maPeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _lookback;
	private readonly StrategyParam<DataType> _candleType;
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _cooldownBars;

	private decimal _cumulativeObv;
	private decimal _prevClosePrice;
	private readonly List<decimal> _priceHistory = new();
	private readonly List<decimal> _obvHistory = new();
	private int _cooldown;

	/// <summary>
	/// MA Period.
	/// </summary>
	public int MAPeriod
	{
		get => _maPeriod.Value;
		set => _maPeriod.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Lookback period for divergence.
	/// </summary>
	public int Lookback
	{
		get => _lookback.Value;
		set => _lookback.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Candle type.
	/// </summary>
	public DataType CandleType
	{
		get => _candleType.Value;
		set => _candleType.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Cooldown bars.
	/// </summary>
	public int CooldownBars
	{
		get => _cooldownBars.Value;
		set => _cooldownBars.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Constructor.
	/// </summary>
	public ObvDivergenceStrategy()
	{
		_maPeriod = Param(nameof(MAPeriod), 20)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("MA Period", "Period for SMA exit signal", "Indicators");

		_lookback = Param(nameof(Lookback), 10)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("Lookback", "Lookback period for divergence detection", "Indicators");

		_candleType = Param(nameof(CandleType), TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1).TimeFrame())
			.SetDisplay("Candle Type", "Type of candles to use", "General");

		_cooldownBars = Param(nameof(CooldownBars), 500)
			.SetRange(1, 1000)
			.SetDisplay("Cooldown Bars", "Bars to wait between trades", "General");
	}

	/// <inheritdoc />
	public override IEnumerable<(Security sec, DataType dt)> GetWorkingSecurities()
	{
		return [(Security, CandleType)];
	}

	/// <inheritdoc />
	protected override void OnReseted()
	{
		base.OnReseted();
		_cumulativeObv = default;
		_prevClosePrice = default;
		_priceHistory.Clear();
		_obvHistory.Clear();
		_cooldown = default;
	}

	/// <inheritdoc />
	protected override void OnStarted2(DateTime time)
	{
		base.OnStarted2(time);

		_cumulativeObv = 0;
		_prevClosePrice = 0;
		_priceHistory.Clear();
		_obvHistory.Clear();
		_cooldown = 0;

		var sma = new SimpleMovingAverage { Length = MAPeriod };

		var subscription = SubscribeCandles(CandleType);
		subscription
			.Bind(sma, ProcessCandle)
			.Start();

		var area = CreateChartArea();
		if (area != null)
		{
			DrawCandles(area, subscription);
			DrawIndicator(area, sma);
			DrawOwnTrades(area);
		}
	}

	private void ProcessCandle(ICandleMessage candle, decimal smaValue)
	{
		if (candle.State != CandleStates.Finished)
			return;

		// Calculate OBV manually
		if (_prevClosePrice > 0)
		{
			if (candle.ClosePrice > _prevClosePrice)
				_cumulativeObv += candle.TotalVolume;
			else if (candle.ClosePrice < _prevClosePrice)
				_cumulativeObv -= candle.TotalVolume;
		}
		_prevClosePrice = candle.ClosePrice;

		// Store history
		_priceHistory.Add(candle.ClosePrice);
		_obvHistory.Add(_cumulativeObv);

		// Keep only what we need
		if (_priceHistory.Count > Lookback + 1)
		{
			_priceHistory.RemoveAt(0);
			_obvHistory.RemoveAt(0);
		}

		if (!IsFormedAndOnlineAndAllowTrading())
			return;

		if (_priceHistory.Count <= Lookback)
			return;

		if (_cooldown > 0)
		{
			_cooldown--;
			return;
		}

		// Compare current values to lookback-period-ago values
		var priceChange = _priceHistory[_priceHistory.Count - 1] - _priceHistory[0];
		var obvChange = _obvHistory[_obvHistory.Count - 1] - _obvHistory[0];

		// Bullish divergence: price down but OBV up
		var bullishDiv = priceChange < 0 && obvChange > 0;
		// Bearish divergence: price up but OBV down
		var bearishDiv = priceChange > 0 && obvChange < 0;

		if (Position == 0 && bullishDiv)
		{
			BuyMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
		else if (Position == 0 && bearishDiv)
		{
			SellMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
		else if (Position > 0 && candle.ClosePrice < smaValue)
		{
			SellMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
		else if (Position < 0 && candle.ClosePrice > smaValue)
		{
			BuyMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
	}
}