Cumulative percentage gain or loss over the backtested period. Shown with sign (+/−). Based on 3-year window.

Risk-adjusted return: (portfolio return − risk-free rate) ÷ volatility. ≥1.0 is strong, 0.5–1.0 is acceptable, <0 means underperformance for the risk taken.

Largest peak-to-trough decline in portfolio value during the period. A measure of downside risk. E.g. −20% means the portfolio fell 20% from its high before recovering.

Percentage of time periods (days, weeks, or months) in which the strategy produced a positive return. ≥50% means it was profitable more than half the time.

Excess return relative to a market benchmark (e.g. S&P 500). Positive alpha = outperformed the market; negative alpha = underperformed.

Avg Return × Consistency × (1 − Avg |Max DD|). A single number capturing return, consistency across time windows, and drawdown safety. Computed over 1Y and 3Y rolling windows. Higher is better; >0.3 is strong.

Percentage of rolling windows (six windows: three 1Y and three 3Y) in which the strategy produced a positive Sharpe ratio. 100% = profitable in every window tested; 50% = mixed.

Average return across all six rolling windows (three 1Y + three 3Y), horizon-weighted so longer windows don't get diluted by shorter ones.

How a trade is placed. Market order: executes immediately at current price. Limit order: executes only at a specified price or better (reduces slippage, may not fill).

The specific price condition that triggers a buy. E.g. 'Limit 0.5% below market' means bid at a 0.5% discount to avoid chasing the price.

A pre-set price at which a losing position is automatically sold to cap losses. E.g. '8% below entry' means exit if price falls 8% from where you bought.

A pre-set price at which a winning position is sold to lock in gains. E.g. '12% above entry' means exit once the stock is up 12%.

A stop loss that moves up as the stock price rises, protecting gains. E.g. '5% trailing' means the exit trigger is always 5% below the recent high.

Entering a position gradually — e.g. buying ⅓ now, ⅓ in one week, ⅓ in two weeks. Reduces the risk of bad timing on a single entry.

Guidance on when in the trading session to place orders. E.g. 'avoid first 30 minutes' (high volatility) or 'buy before close on Fridays' (calendar effect).

How often the portfolio is reset to its target weights. Monthly, quarterly, or annually. More frequent rebalancing captures momentum but incurs more transaction costs.

Maximum percentage of total capital any single strategy may use. E.g. 9% means no more than $9,000 per $100,000 portfolio, limiting concentration risk.

The maximum drawdown the strategy is allowed to sustain before it is reassessed or paused. Acts as a circuit breaker.

Percentage of the portfolio allocated to a single stock within the strategy. Sized by volatility: higher-vol stocks get smaller positions automatically.

Annualised standard deviation of daily returns. A measure of how much the price fluctuates. Higher vol = wider swings, so position sizes are reduced to keep dollar risk constant.

A strategy whose composite score and recent returns are positive. Shown with a green WINNING badge. Currently recommended for deployment.

A strategy with a negative composite score or that has underperformed recently. Shown with a red LOSING badge. Not recommended without further review.

A parent strategy that bundles multiple sub-strategies. Positions are the union of all sub-strategy positions, often diversified across sectors.

Only activates under specific market conditions (e.g. VIX spikes, earnings dates, macro events). Not a buy-and-hold strategy — deployed opportunistically.

A long-horizon buy-and-hold approach suitable for investors who don't actively trade. Evaluated over 5-year windows with metrics like Avg 5Y Return and Calmar Ratio.

Rules-based strategies derived from academic factors: value, momentum, quality, low-volatility, size. Systematic, no discretion.

A strategy that shifts capital between market sectors (tech, healthcare, energy, etc.) based on economic cycle, momentum, or macro signals.

Research published before the US market opens at 9:30 AM ET. Covers overnight macro developments, earnings, economic data, and trade signals for the day.

Macroeconomic factors: interest rates (Fed policy), inflation (CPI/PCE), GDP growth, employment, currency moves. Drive broad market direction.

A specific near-term event that could move a stock: earnings release, FDA decision, product launch, regulatory ruling, or index rebalance.

Stocks with significant price or volume changes before the open (4–9:30 AM ET), often driven by earnings, news, or macro data released overnight.

Analysis of unusual options activity — large or asymmetric bets in calls or puts — as a signal of smart-money positioning before a move.

A measure of how many stocks are participating in a market move. Strong breadth (most stocks rising) confirms a rally; weak breadth (few leaders) signals fragility.

Risk-off: investors flee to safe assets (bonds, gold, USD) when uncertainty rises. Risk-on: money flows into equities and high-yield assets when confidence is high.

CBOE Volatility Index — the 'fear gauge'. Derived from S&P 500 options prices. VIX >20 = elevated fear; >30 = high fear; VIX <15 = complacency.

The difference between expected execution price and actual fill price. Larger for illiquid stocks or large orders. Limit orders reduce slippage vs market orders.

How easily a stock can be bought or sold without moving the price. High liquidity: tight bid-ask spread, high average volume. Low liquidity: wide spreads, small float.

Borrowing shares and selling them, expecting the price to fall. Profit is made when bought back cheaper. Short strategies use SELL signals.

A position of zero — neither long nor short. A FLAT signal means exit or don't open a position in that stock for this strategy cycle.

A period during which the portfolio is below its previous peak. Measured from peak to trough. Ended when the portfolio reaches a new all-time high.

Simulating a strategy's performance on historical data. Results on AskMelon cover 1Y and 3Y windows from 2022–2025. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

A fixed-length time period that advances forward in time (e.g. 2022, 2023, 2024 for 1Y windows). Used to measure consistency of returns across different market regimes.