Quote from shortbleu:
I read several posts where people had issues with graph scales when plotting 2 instruments on the same graph.
From looking at their graph (with wrong scales) they went long the weaker and short the stronger (which is the correct thing to do) and expected a reversion to the mean, and when the two instruments did converge and both lines touched each other (as they were expecting), they were making a loss !!! whereas it should have been a profit. They explained the loss was due to incorrect scales on their graph, ie when the graph was showing a divergence, there was not one and when the graph was showing a reversion to the mean there was not one, as all this was pure illusion due to incorrect scales on their graphs.
I thought the netdania graph could cause me the same issue as the scales are different for eur usd and gbp usd. However, when I look into further details and make the calculations based on potential trades that could have been made based on divergence and expecting mean reversion, I did not find a single occurence where I could lose money when both line get closer to each other.
See attached netdania graph:
Scenario 1: very favourable:
On 15 Jan, open positions:
buy gbp usd at 1.5328 and sell eur usd at 1.2664
On 26 Apr, close positions:
sell gbp usd at 1.6255 and buy eur usd at 1.3250
gbp usd profit is 927 pips, and eur usd loss is -586 pips, total profit: 341 pips
Scenario 2: less favourable:
On 20 May, open positions:
sell gbp usd at 1.5828 and buy eur usd at 1.2810
On 04 Jun, close positions:
buy gbp usd at 1.5402 and sell eur usd at 1.2460
gbp usd profit is 426 pips, and eur usd loss is -350 pips, total profit: 76 pips
I made a couple of other scenarios and calculations and each time the graph was showing a reversion to the mean, my calculation was a profit and never a loss, therefore it seems the scales of the graph are not too wrong or maybe even not wrong at all. What is your view on this? For me the graph does not give false signals, ie what looks like a profit on the graph is a genuine profit when I make the actual profit calculation.
For some people their graph was showing a profit but they ended up with a loss saying the graph scales were wrong.
Can someone confirm the attached netdania graph is valid for trading purposes even though the scales look weird?
Can you find an example where reversion to the mean as shown on the graph would result in a loss?
Thanks