How to develop pairs trading strategies with e-mini futures

Junkou

Junkou

Some users have sent emails to ask about the future spread trading, or pairs trading with e-mini futures.

I have spent the last 15 months in developing future spread trading strategies both in pairs day trading and longer horizons. Followings are some thoughts that should be useful:

  1. Understanding the driven forces of the indices
An index is a group of stocks that meet some criteria. While individual stock's news can drive the its stock price, the real force that drives one index apart from other indices is the style. A style is the common characteristic that stocks in the index share most. For example, the NASDAQ 100 Index is usually classified as a growth index as most stocks in the index are growth oriented companies. On the other hand, the Russell 2000 Index is a collection of value stocks.

2. Picking the right pairs

Not any combination of e-mini futures can be a good pair candidate. For example, NQ and ES is not a good pair, but NQ and RTY is.

3. Combining strategies

We can develop several unit strategies, and then combine them together with certain algorithms to reach a more stable and consistent strategy.
 
Junkou said:
Some users have sent emails to ask about the future spread trading, or pairs trading with e-mini futures.

I have spent the last 15 months in developing future spread trading strategies both in pairs day trading and longer horizons. Followings are some thoughts that should be useful:

  1. Understanding the driven forces of the indices
An index is a group of stocks that meet some criteria. While individual stock's news can drive the its stock price, the real force that drives one index apart from other indices is the style. A style is the common characteristic that stocks in the index share most. For example, the NASDAQ 100 Index is usually classified as a growth index as most stocks in the index are growth oriented companies. On the other hand, the Russell 2000 Index is a collection of value stocks.

2. Picking the right pairs

Not any combination of e-mini futures can be a good pair candidate. For example, NQ and ES is not a good pair, but NQ and RTY is.

3. Combining strategies

We can develop several unit strategies, and then combine them together with certain algorithms to reach a more stable and consistent strategy.
More...

Why did it take you so long ? The basic strategy should not take that long unless you implemented some special features
 
so which pair
Junkou said:
2. Picking the right pairs

Not any combination of e-mini futures can be a good pair candidate. For example, NQ and ES is not a good pair, but NQ and RTY is.
More...

So besides NQ and RTY, what other pairs, or bigger combinations did you find alright?
 
Junkou said:
Some users have sent emails to ask about the future spread trading, or pairs trading with e-mini futures.

I have spent the last 15 months in developing future spread trading strategies both in pairs day trading and longer horizons. Followings are some thoughts that should be useful:

  1. Understanding the driven forces of the indices
An index is a group of stocks that meet some criteria. While individual stock's news can drive the its stock price, the real force that drives one index apart from other indices is the style. A style is the common characteristic that stocks in the index share most. For example, the NASDAQ 100 Index is usually classified as a growth index as most stocks in the index are growth oriented companies. On the other hand, the Russell 2000 Index is a collection of value stocks.

2. Picking the right pairs

Not any combination of e-mini futures can be a good pair candidate. For example, NQ and ES is not a good pair, but NQ and RTY is.

3. Combining strategies

We can develop several unit strategies, and then combine them together with certain algorithms to reach a more stable and consistent strategy.
More...
trend following or mean reversion (of the spread)?
 
"Some people are saying ...." ;)

My own personal preference of pairings taking advantage of intermarket divergences are Russell with eMini and Nasdaq with Dow.
 
SunTrader said:
"Some people are saying ...." ;)

...intermarket divergences are Russell with eMini and Nasdaq with Dow.
More...

Nas with Dow makes sense. But what is "Russel with eMini"? Heh.

P.S. I think I get it, you mean Russel with ES.

Guys, the ES is not the only eMini. They are all minis, they are all Britons! (and you don't vote for kings, etc. Not going to post that vid. No sir.)
 
Junkou said:
Some users have sent emails to ask about the future spread trading, or pairs trading with e-mini futures.

I have spent the last 15 months in developing future spread trading strategies both in pairs day trading and longer horizons. Followings are some thoughts that should be useful:

  1. Understanding the driven forces of the indices
An index is a group of stocks that meet some criteria. While individual stock's news can drive the its stock price, the real force that drives one index apart from other indices is the style. A style is the common characteristic that stocks in the index share most. For example, the NASDAQ 100 Index is usually classified as a growth index as most stocks in the index are growth oriented companies. On the other hand, the Russell 2000 Index is a collection of value stocks.

2. Picking the right pairs

Not any combination of e-mini futures can be a good pair candidate. For example, NQ and ES is not a good pair, but NQ and RTY is.

3. Combining strategies

We can develop several unit strategies, and then combine them together with certain algorithms to reach a more stable and consistent strategy.
More...
Any comment on classic pairs, like gold/silver (IAU/IAG), VZ/T, Ford/GM, maybe AAPL/MSFT, etc
 
Overnight said:
Nas with Dow makes sense. But what is "Russel with eMini"? Heh.

P.S. I think I get it, you mean Russel with ES.

Guys, the ES is not the only eMini. They are all minis, they are all Britons! (and you don't vote for kings, etc. Not going to post that vid. No sir.)
More...
Yes they are all minis. But no there is only one eMini. At least to those of us who have traded it since day one.

And BTW another side note, soon the "big" S&P will be no longer Sept 17th.
 
Last edited:
Junkou said:
Some users have sent emails to ask about the future spread trading, or pairs trading with e-mini futures.

I have spent the last 15 months in developing future spread trading strategies both in pairs day trading and longer horizons. Followings are some thoughts that should be useful:

  1. Understanding the driven forces of the indices
An index is a group of stocks that meet some criteria. While individual stock's news can drive the its stock price, the real force that drives one index apart from other indices is the style. A style is the common characteristic that stocks in the index share most. For example, the NASDAQ 100 Index is usually classified as a growth index as most stocks in the index are growth oriented companies. On the other hand, the Russell 2000 Index is a collection of value stocks.

2. Picking the right pairs

Not any combination of e-mini futures can be a good pair candidate. For example, NQ and ES is not a good pair, but NQ and RTY is.

3. Combining strategies

We can develop several unit strategies, and then combine them together with certain algorithms to reach a more stable and consistent strategy.
More...

OK you have expertise and perhaps proprietary software. Pricing Please
 
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