Create a Managed Trading Strategy (aka Public Strategy) in Portfolio

In addition to creating trading strategies with StrategyStudio, you can take a more hands-on approach by creating a managed portfolio using the Public Strategy feature of Portfolio. Whereas StrategyStudio strategy signal generation is fully automated, Public Strategies offer the manager full control of all signals generated and delivered to your subscribers.

The first step is to select Public Strategy in Portfolio.

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Portfolio Manager Metrics

I really like the portfolio manager but am unclear how the metrics are computed/what they really mean. Is this documented anywhere?

                                                                                         Gary

This post will give a breakdown of the different metrics used in Portfolio.

Starting Capital: Can't be changed once set. Important to have the correct starting capital if importing a portfolio.

Open Position@Cost: The cost to acquire all open positions

Open Position@Market: The current value of positions based on the most recent market close OR real-time prices (if real-time prices are selected).

Cash Balance: Remaining cash after open positions

Cash Change: Only applies to strategies where cash has been added, or in an automated strategy where cash has been added in order to meet capital requirements to hold all positions.

Open Position Change Today: Change in value of Open Positions relative to yesterday's Open Position value.

Total Value: Total Value of Portfolio based on end-of-day prices only (does not update when real-time prices are selected).


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Stock Alerts in Action

Onyx Pharmaceuticals (ONXX) shed a bucketload after earnings failed to excite despite the positive spin. An alert for a 1-day drop of 5% or more was triggered so we will be looking to sell from our model portfolio at the open:


Will take a look at another 2% gap stock to take its place. Current candidates include:

Alliance Data Systems (ADS)
American Commercial Lines (ACLI)
Armstrong World Industries (AWI)
AstraZeneca (AZN)
Avista (AVA)
Banco Itau S.A. (ITU)
Beacon Roofing Supply (BECN)
Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD)
Cummins Inc (CMI)
Dry Ships (DRYS)
Genco Shipping and Trading (GNK)
Hanger Orthopedic (HGR)
HealthSpring (HS)
Keynote Systems (KEYN)
NTT DoCoMo (DCM)
Owens Corning (OC)
Reynolds American (RAI)
Siemens AG (SI)
Steris Corp (STE)
Switch and Data Facilities (SDXC)
Temple Inland (TIN)


Dr. Declan Fallon, Senior Market Technician, Zignals.com the free stock alerts, market alerts, and stock charts website
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Stock Alerts in Action

I've set up a sample portfolio on Wallstreetsurvivor.com under the username "Zignals" to test a strategy similar to the 2% gap stock alert.

[1] Scanned for stocks which gapped 2%

[2] Eye-balled the four best candidates and entered a hypothetical trade


[3] Created a Stocklist on Zignals.


[4] Set two alerts:

One that alerted on a 3-day EMA cross below a 5-day EMA

A second that alerted on a 1-day loss of 5%


The first alert provides a sell signal. The 2% breakout gap on which the trade is entered will provide a boost of strength to the fast moving averages. When the momentum fades the more responsive of the moving averages (3-day EMA) will drift below the slower (5-day EMA).

The second alert is a fall-back for a stop price; we would look to exit if the stock made a 1-day drop greater than 5%.


We will adjust strategy as appropriate, altering the buy/sell triggers to suit market conditions.


Dr. Declan Fallon, Senior Market Technician, Zignals.com the free stock alerts, market alerts, and stock charts website
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