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Help and FAQ – Sniper Market Timing
Market Timing – FAQ Part I
General
What are the mechanics of your investment approach?
Our investment models are proprietary computer-based systems that detect changes in the direction of stock and bond markets.
Each trading model consists of different subsystems. These subsystems incorporate mainly pattern-recognition techniques based on the prices of the underlying markets (e.g., US stock market trading model for the S&P 500 index) and some risk ratings-based indicators. During investment strategy development, the main emphasis has been on robust patterns, which should work in different market phases (backtests to 1871) and on their edge against random investment-strategies. The trading systems are 100% mechanical and are based on mathematical algorithms. The formulas are proprietary and are therefore not disclosed.
Each week we scan bond and stock markets to generate entries and exits. Based on the current and historical market conditions, our investment models will generate a BUY- or a CASH-signal. These signals are based on proprietary quantitative models. Once a market timing signal has been issued, it remains in effect until a new signal invalidates it. When our model issues a BUY-signal, it means it is time to buy the underlying market. When the trading signal becomes a CASH-signal, it is time to sell (but not short selling) the underlying market and to move the money in cash until our system determines a clear direction.
So, a computerized trading model is the way to go?
Market timing could sometimes be very dangerous. Many investment models and strategies are not rigorously tested, are over-optimized and curve-fitted to historical data. But there are investment strategies that work across various financial markets and market types (i.e., bull markets, bear markets, and sideways markets).
We think that we have developed a unique and promising approach to market timing. So, if you are looking for a sound and sophisticated trading model, this website is for you.
But we are not a “get rich quick”-scheme, and we do not offer any bogus “magic”-“mumbo jumbo”-“holy grail”-“dreamland”-“master of the universe”-system.
Do your investment strategies ever make partial moves (e.g.: 50% investment)?
Our investment strategies are switching only between full investment (100% allocation) and no investment (0% allocation).
How many times a year will your trading systems switch a signal?
It varies. In a typical year, only 2-6 signals per trading system will be issued.
Are your trading systems optimized?
During the development of our market timing strategies, it was not our objective to find the parameter values which generated the maximum profit on historical data (=back testing) because there is a tradeoff between the maximum profit and the robustness of a trading model. Generally, the less a trading strategy has been optimized, the more robust it will be in the future because every optimization includes the risk of equity curve fitting. The robustness of a trading model is determined by the ability to generate trading results in the future close to the results of the backtest.
So, our objective was to design robust and stable investment models. Therefore, we searched for a specific range of parameter values, within which the profits and other criteria (e.g., drawdowns) would be acceptable. These parameter values are settled in the center of the flattest parameter space. So, a minor market shift will not result in dramatic and negative equity shifts.
Do you guarantee results better than buy-and-hold?
No investment strategy can ensure results better than buy-and-hold, nor guarantee an investment against loss in declining markets.
But does market timing work?
Market timing is not a crystal ball, and it certainly will not make you a successful trader. Even if your investment models are well constructed, they have been and will be incorrect in many cases because markets are social systems and are not physical systems, where input A and input B always gives you output C. There is no holy grail and no perfection – only percentages of perfection.
So, most of you are familiar with the concept of buying stocks and bonds and prefer a “Buy and Hold”-approach. We think that buying and holding works for many people because of the long-term positive stock market bias. But sometimes this concept gets dangerous:
– Emotions (fear and greed) will undermine the required discipline.
– A “Buy and Hold”-strategy can underperform for extended periods (e.g., US stock market: 1929-1954 (no inflation-adjustment); Japanese stock market: 1989-?).
– The financial markets are mirroring the battle between fear and greed, and therefore they are NOT following a random walk.
Consequently, we decided:
– To discipline our self by using a computerized and unbiased approach for investing.
– To “time” the market to avoid long periods of under-performance.
To use sophisticated computer-based models to discover trends in the fat-tailed distributions of financial markets’ returns.
The key to successful market timing is to use a 100% mechanical trading strategy and model that completely removes emotions and subjectivity from the investing process. Objectively applying the rules and strategies of your trading models most times will keep you out of trouble. But you also must have a money management system and the trader’s self-discipline.
What currency is the base currency for your international market signals including US market trading signals?
We are issuing our trading signals based on local stock benchmark indices “priced” in local currencies (e.g., US markets “priced” in US dollars, Canadian markets in Canadian dollars, UK markets in British pounds, and so on).
How often do we receive your trading signals and risk rating info? Is it send by fax, email?
Our newsletter is sent to our subscribers via email every week.
How do I get notified about signal changes of your trading models?
For our newsletter, our investment models are run weekly (every weekend). If a new trading signal is generated, we send out an email to our email newsletter’s active subscribers.
Can you please explain how I should use your trading signals to profit?
Our website and newsletter have been prepared solely for informational purposes. They are not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instrument or to participate in any particular trading or market timing strategy. The investments and the trading signals discussed on our website and in our newsletter may be unsuitable for investors depending on their specific investment objectives and financial position. So, it is not our intention to provide individual investment advice. There are Registered Investment Advisors providing professional investment management services.
Do you sell your strategies?
We do not sell our market timing systems and algorithms.
No one can time the market - not even the experts.
Maybe you are right. We do not have the ultimate answer to your comment. And yes, a passive strategy like a “Buy and Hold”-approach works for many people. But we think that human beings are producing tradeable patterns and traces in the markets – and we do not think that the market is a random walk. So, our goal is to detect these patterns and to trade them. But we are only dealing with probabilities, and once again: maybe you are right, and we will miss the boat completely.
Bond market
Which US bonds do you trade? 10 year, 30 year or high yield?
We have normalized all bond systems internally for system development purposes with “continuous” 10-year government bonds with a par yield of 6%. For our trading, we are using mainly respective bond ETFs for 10+ year government bonds.
Do you rate Central European bond markets?
At the moment, we do not issue trading signals for Central European bond markets because of missing benchmark indices and trading instruments.
Currently, we are tracking these bond markets:
| US bond market | tracked by Timertrac.com |
| German bond market | tracked by Timertrac.com |
| UK bond market | tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Australian bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Brazilian bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Canadian bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Dutch bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| French bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Greek bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Hong Kong bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Indian bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Italian bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Japanese bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Mexican bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| New Zealand bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Portuguese bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Singaporean bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| South Korean bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Spanish bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Swedish bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
| Swiss bond market | currently not tracked by Timertrac.com |
Stock market
Does your market timing model work on individual stocks?
Our stock market timing models trade primarily stock market indices, but our back-testing is also performed on individual stocks of global benchmark stock indices.
Do you have a list which iShares©-MSCI©-ETFs could be traded with your signals?
Before we could answer your question, we have to inform you that our website and newsletter have been prepared solely for informational purposes and are not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instrument or to participate in any particular trading or market timing strategy. So, it is not our intention to provide individual investment advice. There are Registered Investment Advisors providing professional investment management services.
No endorsement of any third-party products or services is expressed or implied by any information, material, or content referred to or included on, or linked from or to our web site and our newsletter.
| Australian stocks | MSCI© Australia Fund (EWA) | Austrian stocks | MSCI© Austria Fund (EWO) |
| Belgium stocks | MSCI© Belgium Fund (EWK) | Brazilian stocks | MSCI© Brazil Fund (EWZ) |
| Canadian stocks | MSCI© Canada Fund (EWC) | Chinese stocks | FTSE/Xinhua Ch. 25© Fund (FXI) |
| French stocks | MSCI© France Fund (EWQ) | German stocks | MSCI© Germany Fund (EWG) |
| Hong Kong stocks | MSCI© Hong Kong Fund (EWH) | Italian stocks | MSCI© Italy Fund (EWI) |
| Japanese stocks | MSCI© Japan Fund (EWJ) | Malaysian stocks | MSCI© Malaysia Fund (EWM) |
| Mexican stocks | MSCI© Mexico Fund (EWW) | Dutch stocks | MSCI© Netherlands Fund (EWN) |
| Singaporean stocks | MSCI© Singapore Fund (EWS) | South African stocks | MSCI© South Africa Fund (EZA) |
| South Korean stocks | MSCI© South Korea Fund (EWY) | Spanish stocks | MSCI© Spain Fund (EWP) |
| Swedish stocks | MSCI© Sweden Fund (EWD) | Swiss stocks | MSCI© Switzerland Fund (EWL) |
| Taiwanese stocks | MSCI© Taiwan Fund (EWT) | British stocks | MSCI© U.K. Fund (EWU) |
| US stocks | MSCI© S&P 500© Fund (IVV) | European stocks | S&P Europe 350© Fund (IEV) |
| Latin American stocks | S&P Latin Am. 40© Fund (ILF) |
Market Risk Ratings – FAQ Part II
Stock market risk ratings
Could your stock risk ratings reach a level when it would be indicating an imminent stock market crash?
Our stock market risk ratings indicate the potential risk of stock market investments on a percentage basis. So, our stock market risk scores do not signal any imminent stock market crash.
Disclaimer
Sniper Market Timing is providing this website and its information for guidance and information purposes only. The information contained herein has been compiled from sources deemed reliable. It is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief; however, Sniper Market Timing cannot assure its accuracy, completeness, and validity and be held liable for any errors or omissions. All information contained herein should be independently verified and confirmed. Sniper Market Timing does not accept any liability for any loss or damage howsoever caused in reliance upon such information. Reader agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Sniper Market Timing from and against any damages, costs, and expenses, including any fees, potentially resulting from the application of any of the information provided by Sniper Market Timing. The Sniper timing system has not been applied over a significant period in real trading. Recommendations made in the future may or may not equal or better the Sniper timing system’s performance as simulated by historical backtesting.
The analysis, ratings, and/or recommendations made by Sniper Market Timing, snipermarkettiming.com, and/or any of its suppliers do not provide, imply, or otherwise constitute performance assurance. Past actual or simulated performance is no guarantee of future results. Therefore, it should not be assumed that future results will be positive or will equal past performance, real, indicated, or implied. Sniper Market Timing offers no assurance regarding the accuracy, market predictive powers, suitability, or effectiveness (either expressed or implied) of any of the information provided. This website has been prepared solely for informational purposes. It is not an offer to purchase or sell or solicit any offer to buy or sell any security or instrument or participate in any trading strategy. The trading instruments and the trading signals discussed on this website may be unsuitable for investors depending on their specific objectives and financial position. The trading instruments’ price or value to which this website relates, either directly or indirectly, may fall or rise against investors’ interest. Any market exposure always entails the possibility of substantial loss of equity. Reader agrees to assume all risk resulting from applying any of the information provided by Sniper Market Timing.
Additionally, to usual risks embedded with investing, international trading may involve the risk of capital loss due to fluctuation in currency values, from differences in accounting principles, or economic and/or political instability in foreign countries. Any commercial realization of the information provided by this website without written permission from Sniper Market Timing is strictly forbidden. Trademarks and copyrights mentioned on this website are the ownership of their respective companies. The names of products and services presented are used only in an educational fashion and to the benefit of the trademark and copyright owner, with no intention of infringing on trademarks or copyrights. Sniper Market Timing and/or its principals may purchase or sell any of the securities cited on this website.