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End of Month Strength Strategy

End of Month Strength observes that equities often rally during the last few trading days as portfolio managers adjust holdings. Buying pressure tied to window dressing can create a reliable upward bias ahead of the monthly close.

Testing indicates an average annual return of about 94%. It performs best in the stocks market.

The strategy buys near the final days of the month and exits on the first trading day of the new month to capture that tendency.

Stops are placed below recent support to guard against unexpected weakness.

Details

  • Entry Criteria: calendar effect triggers
  • Long/Short: Both
  • Exit Criteria: stop-loss or opposite signal
  • Stops: Yes, percent based
  • Default Values:
    • CandleType = 15 minute
    • StopLoss = 2%
  • Filters:
    • Category: Seasonality
    • Direction: Both
    • Indicators: Seasonality
    • Stops: Yes
    • Complexity: Intermediate
    • Timeframe: Intraday
    • Seasonality: Yes
    • Neural networks: No
    • Divergence: No
    • 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>
/// Implementation of End of Month Strength trading strategy.
/// Buys on the last week of the month, exits on the first week of the next month.
/// Also sells short in mid-month if price below MA.
/// </summary>
public class EndOfMonthStrengthStrategy : Strategy
{
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _maPeriod;
	private readonly StrategyParam<DataType> _candleType;
	private readonly StrategyParam<int> _cooldownBars;

	private SimpleMovingAverage _ma;

	private int _cooldown;
	private int _prevDayOfMonth;
	private int _prevMonth;

	/// <summary>
	/// Moving average period.
	/// </summary>
	public int MaPeriod
	{
		get => _maPeriod.Value;
		set => _maPeriod.Value = value;
	}

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

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

	/// <summary>
	/// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="EndOfMonthStrengthStrategy"/>.
	/// </summary>
	public EndOfMonthStrengthStrategy()
	{
		_maPeriod = Param(nameof(MaPeriod), 20)
			.SetGreaterThanZero()
			.SetDisplay("MA Period", "Moving average period for trend confirmation", "Strategy");

		_candleType = Param(nameof(CandleType), TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5).TimeFrame())
			.SetDisplay("Candle Type", "Type of candles for strategy", "Strategy");

		_cooldownBars = Param(nameof(CooldownBars), 50)
			.SetDisplay("Cooldown Bars", "Bars between trades", "General")
			.SetRange(5, 500);
	}

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

	/// <inheritdoc />
	protected override void OnReseted()
	{
		base.OnReseted();
		_ma = default;
		_cooldown = 0;
		_prevDayOfMonth = 0;
		_prevMonth = 0;
	}

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

		_ma = new SimpleMovingAverage { Length = MaPeriod };

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

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

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

		if (!IsFormedAndOnlineAndAllowTrading())
			return;

		var close = candle.ClosePrice;
		var dayOfMonth = candle.OpenTime.Day;
		var month = candle.OpenTime.Month;

		// Detect new day transition
		var isNewDay = dayOfMonth != _prevDayOfMonth;

		if (_cooldown > 0)
		{
			_cooldown--;
			_prevDayOfMonth = dayOfMonth;
			_prevMonth = month;
			return;
		}

		// End-of-month zone: day >= 24
		var isEndOfMonth = dayOfMonth >= 24;
		// Beginning-of-month zone: day <= 5
		var isBeginOfMonth = dayOfMonth <= 5;
		// Mid-month zone: day between 10 and 20
		var isMidMonth = dayOfMonth >= 10 && dayOfMonth <= 20;

		// Entry: buy at end of month if flat
		if (isEndOfMonth && isNewDay && Position == 0)
		{
			BuyMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
		// Exit: sell at beginning of next month
		else if (isBeginOfMonth && isNewDay && Position > 0)
		{
			SellMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
		// Short in mid-month if below MA
		else if (isMidMonth && isNewDay && Position == 0 && close < maValue)
		{
			SellMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}
		// Cover short at end of month
		else if (isEndOfMonth && isNewDay && Position < 0)
		{
			BuyMarket();
			_cooldown = CooldownBars;
		}

		_prevDayOfMonth = dayOfMonth;
		_prevMonth = month;
	}
}