An investor doesn't need to use leveraged products in order to produce alpha.
In terms of a quantitative strategy for investing in the oil sector, over the last 30 years, the oil services sector has shown a statistically significant "edge" in the winter / spring months. So far, returns for 2016 have been at the higher end of the skew.
Combining this with positioning / switching into biotech and utilities during other statistically significant seasonal periods and a risk management variable, has produced average annual returns of 29.5% over the last 30 years ( not allowed to provide link ).
Energy services winter / spring months ( Bolds = risk management variable applied / reduce to 50% allocation ).
1986 -5.5%
1987 13.0%
1988 15.0%
1989 11.4%
1990 4.7%
1991 10.2%
1992 3.3%
1993 23.8%
1994 -2.8%
1995 21.4%
1996 17.7%
1997 -5.5%
1998 30.5%
1999 65.2%
2000 16.0%
2001 3.8%
2002 14.3%
2003 2.7%
2004 3.4%
2005 4.4%
2006 5.6%
2007 17.7%
2008 9.9%
2009 25.7%
2010 9.0%
2011 5.4%
2012 -1.5%
2013 -2.5%
2014 15.6%
2015 6.4%
2016 14%
James
stockmarketmap.wordpress.com
Boulder, CO