This is a test of OptimumV from Todd Tresidder of Financial Mentor. Backtested results from 1987 follow. Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what we do and follow 100+ asset allocation strategies like this one in real-time. Logarithmically-scaled. Click for(...)

We track 100+ Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies. A unique feature of our platform is our Aggregate Allocation Report, a daily snapshot of the average asset allocation across all of the strategies we track. To illustrate, in the graph below we show the aggregate allocation over the last 3(...)

Most Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies trade once per month. That’s by design. Short-term market movement is mostly noise, and trying to time every zig and zag is a fool’s errand. A unique feature of our platform is the ability to follow these monthly strategies on any day of the month.(...)

This is an independent test of a novel strategy from David Varadi: Inflation Compass. It builds on his earlier Growth and Inflation strategy by adding a direct market-based measure of expected inflation. We’re testing two versions of his new strategy: Original and Enhanced (more on this later).(...)

“The current extreme in margin debt offers one way to gauge the speculative exuberance of investors. – John Hussman” Thinking about this chart from John Hussman, showing margin debt relative to GDP spiking to all-time highs, with previous such instances seeming to foreshadow major market downturns:(...)

This is the fourth installment in our series on selecting Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies based on recent performance. Read parts 1, 2 and 3. In our previous studies we selected strategies based on recent return. In this study, we select “distressed” strategies, or strategies nearing or(...)

Every strategy and Model Portfolio now includes a Return Contribution analysis, showing each asset’s contribution to overall annual return. We further aggregate results by asset category and risk on/off, as well as estimate the drag from “trading friction” (transaction costs + slippage). Let’s walk(...)

We’ve added Safe and Perpetual Withdrawal Rates to your custom Model Portfolios. New here? Learn more: What is a Model Portfolio? What are Withdrawal Rates? The Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR) measures the max amount that could have been withdrawn each year in retirement (with an annual adjustment for(...)

This is the third installment in a series on selecting Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies based on recent performance. Read Part 1 and Part 2. We advocate combining multiple TAA strategies together into “Model Portfolios” to limit the risk of any single strategy underperforming. In our(...)

This is the second installment in a multipart series on selecting Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies based on recent performance. Read Part 1. We advocate combining multiple TAA strategies together into “Model Portfolios” to limit the risk of any single strategy underperforming. In our(...)

This is the first of a multipart series examining the selection of Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies based on recent performance. We are proponents of combining multiple TAA strategies together into what we call Model Portfolios to limit the risk of any single strategy going of the rails.(...)

This is a test of Meb Faber’s “Tactical Yield” from T-Bills and Chill…Most of the Time. Backtested results from 1930 follow compared to a benchmark of 50% int-term US Treasuries (IEF) and 50% US corporate bonds (LQD). Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what(...)

This is a test of a novel strategy from David Varadi: Growth and Inflation Sector Timing. Backtested results from 1991 follow. Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what we do and follow 100+ asset allocation strategies like this one in near real-time.(...)

(…but that won’t always be the case) Over the last 15+ years, diversification (as opposed to market timing) has been a huge drag on Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) performance, to the tune of 2.1% per year compared to the 60/40 benchmark. That “diversification drag” has been mostly due to US stock(...)

We track 100+ published Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies, so these results are broadly representative of TAA as an investment style. TAA did reasonably well in 2025 and very well in these early days of 2026, relative to the ubiquitous 60/40 benchmark. How much of that is due to TAA(...)

A long-time member who has been a valuable source of feedback over the years sent us the following note about the most recent strategy added to the platform: Gold Cross-Asset Momentum. The strategy has performed poorly relative to other strategies on the platform. You’ve turned down other stuff(...)

This is a test of a simple and effective gold trading strategy from Cyril Dujava of Quantpedia with his research: Cross-Asset Price-Based Regimes for Gold. Backtested results from 1970 follow. Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what we do and follow 100+(...)

We’ve added a new feature for members, the Underperformer Watchlist. All investment strategies go through rough patches. It’s the nature of taking risks in inherently unpredictable financial markets. One of the difficulties of investing is knowing when a rough patch is just a normal period of poor(...)

This is a quick analysis of the “Lazy Man’s Momentum Strategy”, a simple country rotation strategy. Every six months the strategy selects from 22 country indices, buying the 11 with the highest 6-month return (*). For reasons we discuss in a bit, we will not be adding this strategy to our platform.(...)

This is a test of Grzegorz Link’s “Enhanced” Global Growth Cycle (GGC) strategy. Like the original GGC, this enhanced version uses the OECD Composite Leading Indicator to determine risk exposure, but unlike the original, it also considers momentum to determine the specific risk on/off assets to(...)

This is a test of Thomas Carlson’s “Defense First” strategy from his paper Defense First: A Multi-Asset Tactical Model for Adaptive Downside Protection. Strategy results from 1971 follow. Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what we do and follow 90+ asset(...)

We’re in a unique position to analyze the behavior of Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) investors. We track 90+ TAA strategies. Members combine these strategies into what we call “Model Portfolios”. By analyzing how members form these Model Portfolios, we can understand the choices that TAA investors(...)

The Lumber-Gold Strategy was first published a decade ago, won the 2015 NAAIM Wagner Award, and continues to be cited today. The strategy trades based on the relative strength of lumber as a leading economic indicator, versus gold. How has the strategy performed since publication? Strategy results(...)

This test was inspired by Yulong Sun’s paper Navigating Economic Downturns: Insights from Survey-Based Recession Indicators. Strategy results from 1970 follow. Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what we do and follow 90+ asset allocation strategies like(...)

Questions about this long-ago strategy from Cliff Smith land in our inbox periodically (here’s another recent take). Smith’s simple strategy trades senior loan (aka leveraged loan) ETFs like BKLN, and has continued to be effective at timing these ETFs in the 10+ years since it was published. We’ve(...)

This is a test of a dynamic seasonality strategy from Quantpedia that selects from 23 individual country ETFs. We’ve extended the author’s test by 30+ years using MSCI index data. Backtested results from 1971 follow versus an equal-weight benchmark of those 23 country ETFs (1). Learn more about(...)

Members: See the complete list of Meta Walk-Forwards In our previous post, we introduced this concept of “walking forward” optimal strategy combinations. In other words, we’re finding the optimal combination of strategies, in real-time, based only on data available at that moment in time. We call(...)

The key takeaway: The Portfolio Optimizer is effective at selecting optimal strategy combinations, even when “walked-forward” (i.e. when limited to data it would have had at that moment in time). First, a bit of background knowledge you’ll need to understand this analysis… Background Knowledge:(...)

Fair warning: this article is intended for advanced DIY Tactical Asset Allocation investors, i.e. nerds like us. First, a bit of background knowledge you’ll need to understand this discussion… Background knowledge: What is “timing luck”? Most Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies trade just(...)

This is a test of two stock market seasonality strategies from Fred Piard’s book Quantitative Investing: Strategies to Exploit Stock Market Anomalies for All Investors. Strategy results from 1970 follow. Results are net of transaction costs – see backtest assumptions. Learn about what we do and(...)

This is an independent test of a series of interesting studies from Quantpedia (here and here) related to seasonality in commodity ETFs. We’ve more than doubled the length of the author’s original test using relevant index data (1). Test #1: Front running commodity seasonality In all of our tests,(...)

This paper from Goldman Sachs made big headlines a couple of months back for forecasting an abysmal 3% nominal annual return for US stocks in the coming decade. For anyone who didn’t read GS’s analysis, the biggest contributor to that poor return was “market concentration”, or the market cap of the(...)

This strategy from NLX Finance is an alternative version of a strategy we’ve covered previously: Dr. Keller & Keuning’s Hybrid Asset Allocation (HAA). It trades based on all the same rules as the original HAA with one exception: rather than allocating 100% to US stocks when risk on, it holds a(...)

This is a test of the “Excess Earnings Yield Dynamic” valuation strategy based on the paper Man Doth Not Invest by Earnings Yield Alone by White and Haghani of Elm Wealth. The strategy dynamically splits the portfolio between stocks and TIPS based on “excess earnings yield”, which is the(...)

This is a test of Pragmatic Asset Allocation from Vojtko and Javorská of Quantpedia. While the strategy is “tactical” (i.e. changes allocation over time in response to market conditions), it’s also designed to ensure tax efficiency. We track many tactical strategies that have been tax efficient,(...)

Most Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies trade just once per month. Strategy developers almost always assume trades are executed on the last trading day of the month. A unique feature of our platform is the ability to follow these strategies on any other day of the month as well. We’re not(...)

This is a deep dive into which share disposal method – FIFO or LIFO – would have been more tax advantageous for the 80+ asset allocation strategies we track. When selling shares FIFO (first in, first out), the oldest shares held are sold first. When selling LIFO (last in, first out), the most(...)

We’ve added a new objective to the Portfolio Optimizer. Members can now find the combination of TAA strategies that would have maximized the Ulcer Performance Index (UPI), aka the “Martin Ratio”. Members: begin exploring the Max UPI portfolios now. UPI is a measure of return relative to drawdowns(...)

Here are some things we know about Tactical Asset Allocation: (Learn more: What is TAA?) We shouldn’t go 100% “all in” on just one TAA strategy. That introduces “specification risk”, or the risk that we’ve bet on an underperforming horse. Instead, we should combine multiple strategies together into(...)

This is a test of the 12-Month High Switch Model, a Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategy from Meb Faber. Meb has done more than anyone to popularize TAA as a trading style, including many of the fundamental concepts used today. This is another of his simple but effective ideas. Backtested(...)

We track 80+ Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) strategies, most of which were designed from the perspective of a US investor trading US ETFs. Most European investors can’t access US ETFs, instead trading UCITS funds listed on non-US exchanges, often denominated in currencies other than USD. In this(...)

This is a test of the “simple” variation of Dr. Keller and Keuning’s strategy from their paper Dual and Canary Momentum with Rising Yields/Inflation: Hybrid Asset Allocation (HAA). We’ve covered the “balanced” version of HAA previously. It has become one of the more popular strategies on our(...)

This is a test of Paul Choi’s paper Balance Between Growth and Dividend: Dividend & Growth Allocation (DGA). This strategy would have delivered exceptional performance over the last 50 years, but we would temper future expectations for several reasons we discuss below. Backtested results from(...)

There has been a surge in correlation between US stocks and Treasuries over the last couple of years. To illustrate, below we’ve shown the rolling 3-year correlation between US stocks and 10-year Treasuries since 1900 (based on monthly returns). Note the spike at the far right of the chart. What is(...)

Long-term returns for US Treasury bond funds with a constant maturity (like IEF, TLT and SHY) have been quite predictable simply using initial Treasury yields as an estimate. This observation was popularized by John Bogle. Here’s an excellent recent look from Portfolio Optimizer. How predictable?(...)

Note: This is a rare non-geeky, non-quantitative, stream of thought blog post. Because we’re so deep into this world of Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA), we’re sometimes asked for our thoughts on such-and-such black box TAA strategy. By “black box” we mean a strategy for which the trading rules are(...)

As a whole, Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) did not manage losses during the 2022 bear market as well as it has during previous downturns. Individual strategies varied and some did well, but a primary function of TAA is loss management, and any failure to do so is worth analyzing further. In this(...)

This is a test of the “TrendYCMacro” strategy from the paper Avoid Equity Bear Markets with a Market Timing Strategy from Ďurian and Vojtko of Quantpedia. The strategy combines trends in price, the slope of the yield curve and key economic indicators to switch between US equities and cash.(...)

We’ve previously covered Link’s Global Growth Cycle strategy, which uses OECD Composite Leading Indicator (CLI) data to time the market. The strategy has navigated the market gyrations over the last few years well, so naturally it’s gotten the attention of members. Recent strategy results follow.(...)

We are often asked about stock market valuation models such as Shiller’s CAPE Ratio and the Buffet Indicator. These models predict long-term returns, usually forecasting the next 10 years. Our recent analysis of one such valuation model, the Aggregate Investor Allocation to Equities, motivated us(...)