English
View on GitHub

OBV Mean Reversion Strategy

On Balance Volume (OBV) tracks cumulative volume flow to determine whether buyers or sellers are dominant. This strategy waits for OBV to diverge sharply from its average and then trades in anticipation of a return to typical levels.

Testing indicates an average annual return of about 79%. It performs best in the stocks market.

A buy signal occurs when OBV falls below its average minus Multiplier times the standard deviation and price is below the moving average. A sell signal is generated when OBV rises above the upper band with price above the average. Positions close when OBV crosses back through its mean line.

The approach is useful for traders who consider volume flows in addition to price action. Stops are placed a set percentage away to handle situations where volume continues to accelerate.

Details

  • Entry Criteria:
    • Long: OBV < Avg - Multiplier * StdDev && Close < MA
    • Short: OBV > Avg + Multiplier * StdDev && Close > MA
  • Long/Short: Both sides.
  • Exit Criteria:
    • Long: Exit when OBV > Avg
    • Short: Exit when OBV < Avg
  • Stops: Yes, percent stop-loss.
  • Default Values:
    • AveragePeriod = 20
    • Multiplier = 2
    • StopLossPercent = 2
    • CandleType = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5) Avg and StdDev are the average and the standard deviation of the last AveragePeriod OBV values, the current one included, and MA is the simple moving average of the last AveragePeriod closes. The stop is a fixed StopLossPercent of the entry price, watched between candles as well; 0 disables it. An entry signal against an open position reverses it.
  • Filters:
    • Category: Mean Reversion
    • Direction: Both
    • Indicators: OBV
    • Stops: Yes
    • Complexity: Intermediate
    • Timeframe: Intraday
    • Seasonality: No
    • Neural networks: No
    • Divergence: No
    • Risk Level: Medium
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

using Ecng.Common;

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

namespace StockSharp.Samples.Strategies;

/// <summary>
/// OBV Mean Reversion strategy.
/// The bands lie Multiplier standard deviations around the average of the last AveragePeriod OBV values, the current one included.
/// OBV below the lower band with the close below the AveragePeriod simple moving average goes long and OBV above the upper band with the close above it goes short,
/// reversing an opposite position. A long closes once OBV is back above its average and a short once it is back below it, and a percent stop limits the loss.
/// </summary>
public class ObvMeanReversionStrategy : Strategy
{
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _averagePeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<decimal> _multiplier;
	private readonly StrategyParam<decimal> _stopLossPercent;
	private readonly StrategyParam<DataType> _candleType;

	private readonly Queue<decimal> _values = [];

	/// <summary>
	/// Values of OBV the average and the standard deviation span.
	/// </summary>
	public int AveragePeriod
	{
		get => _averagePeriod.Value;
		set => _averagePeriod.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Standard deviations between the average and a band.
	/// </summary>
	public decimal Multiplier
	{
		get => _multiplier.Value;
		set => _multiplier.Value = value;
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Stop loss percentage from entry price.
	/// </summary>
	public decimal StopLossPercent
	{
		get => _stopLossPercent.Value;
		set => _stopLossPercent.Value = value;
	}

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

	/// <summary>
	/// Constructor.
	/// </summary>
	public ObvMeanReversionStrategy()
	{
		_averagePeriod = Param(nameof(AveragePeriod), 20)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("Average Period", "Values of OBV the average and the standard deviation span", "Indicators");

		_multiplier = Param(nameof(Multiplier), 2m)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("Multiplier", "Standard deviations between the average and a band", "Indicators");

		_stopLossPercent = Param(nameof(StopLossPercent), 2m)
			.SetNotNegative()
			.SetDisplay("Stop Loss %", "Stop loss percentage from entry price", "Risk");

		_candleType = Param(nameof(CandleType), TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5).TimeFrame())
			.SetDisplay("Candle Type", "Type of candles to use", "General");
	}

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

	/// <inheritdoc />
	protected override void OnReseted()
	{
		base.OnReseted();
		_values.Clear();
	}

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

		_values.Clear();

		var obv = new OnBalanceVolume();
		var sma = new SimpleMovingAverage { Length = AveragePeriod };

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

		StartProtection(new Unit(), new Unit(StopLossPercent, UnitTypes.Percent), useMarketOrders: true, isLocalStop: true);

		// The stop has to see prices between candles, not only at their close.
		foreach (var field in new[] { Level1Fields.BestBidPrice, Level1Fields.BestAskPrice })
		{
			var quotes = new Subscription(DataType.Level1, Security);
			quotes.MarketData.BuildField = field;
			SubscribeLevel1(quotes).Bind(ObserveProtectionQuote).Start();
		}

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

			var oscillators = CreateChartArea();
			if (oscillators != null)
			{
				DrawIndicator(oscillators, obv);
			}
		}
	}

	private void ObserveProtectionQuote(Level1ChangeMessage quote)
	{
		// The high-level handler activates native protection before this callback, also between signal bars.
	}

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

		if (!smaValue.IsFormed)
			return;

		if (!obvValue.IsFormed)
			return;

		var value = obvValue.GetValue<decimal>();

		_values.Enqueue(value);

		if (_values.Count > AveragePeriod)
			_values.Dequeue();

		if (_values.Count < AveragePeriod)
			return;

		if (!IsFormedAndOnlineAndAllowTrading())
			return;

		var mean = _values.Average();
		var deviation = (decimal)Math.Sqrt((double)_values.Average(v => (v - mean) * (v - mean)));
		var upper = mean + Multiplier * deviation;
		var lower = mean - Multiplier * deviation;
		var close = candle.ClosePrice;
		var ma = smaValue.GetValue<decimal>();

		if (value < lower && close < ma && Position <= 0)
			BuyMarket(Volume + Math.Abs(Position));
		else if (value > upper && close > ma && Position >= 0)
			SellMarket(Volume + Math.Abs(Position));
		else if (Position > 0 && value > mean)
			SellMarket(Position);
		else if (Position < 0 && value < mean)
			BuyMarket(-Position);
	}
}