most bullish or volatile week days?

What statement do you feel the most confident about?

  • Monday is the most BULLISH day of the week

    Votes: 4 28.6%
  • Tuesday is the most BULLISH day of the week

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • Wednesday is the most BULLISH day of the week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Thursday is the most BULLISH day of the week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Friday is the most BULLISH day of the week

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • Monday is the most VOLATILE day of the week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tuesday is the most VOLATILE day of the week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Wednesday is the most VOLATILE day of the week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Thursday is the most VOLATILE day of the week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Friday is the most VOLATILE day of the week

    Votes: 3 21.4%
  • No such general statements can be made

    Votes: 5 35.7%

  • Total voters
    14

Yamato

Legendary member
Messages
9,840
Likes
246
I did a thorough study on the Dow Jones daily data (last 75 years of it), and managed to answer both of my questions - is there a constant difference in bullishness and volatility in the days in a week?

1) Volatility

Yes, there is. Wednesday is constantly, practically all years taken separately, the most volatile day in the week, if we count daily range of each day, high minus low.

The other days are less volatile the more distant they are from wednesday - friday and monday are the least volatile.

This difference in volatility is very constant, but very small, too, so I don't think this difference is large enough to be exploited in a trading system.

2) Bullishness

Bullishness seems to be different as well, according to days of the week. If we consider the past 20 years, Monday is the most bullish day by far, with the data being, if we add up all mondays to fridays in a year, for 20 straight years:

Monday: 6%
Tuesday: 3%
Wednesday: 2%
Thursday: -1%
Friday: 0%

Before 1988, things are just the opposite, but just as constantly, so I think we can safely assume it is not a random thing.

Just as I said for more likely volatility on wednesday, I think that the more likely bullishness on mondays cannot be exploited in a system, because with all the moving up and down that happens each day (a total of 36% a year in each day of the week), the +6% of mondays is not that different from the -1% of thursdays, as far as my system goes at least.

Of course if you happen to have an overnight system, that only trades once every 24 hours, then this is a major difference, because if this trend continued, simply by buying at friday's close and selling at monday's close, you would make 6% a year on average, with no other system needed. Yet, once again, for my intraday system this is irrelevant I think.
 
Daily bullishness,holidays and seasonality

Anyone interested in general seasonality etc. would do well to read 'How I trade for a living' by Gary Smith.

Also have a look at the threads on the Mechanical Systems /Free Systems posted by Fettered Chinos. I found them particularly illuminating and am attempting to test trade one - with modifications (such as stop losses) of course.

Cheers,
Ian Foster
 
FC's illuminating systems.....

crud-cutter said:
Anyone interested in general seasonality etc. would do well to read 'How I trade for a living' by Gary Smith.

Also have a look at the threads on the Mechanical Systems /Free Systems posted by Fettered Chinos. I found them particularly illuminating and am attempting to test trade one - with modifications (such as stop losses) of course.

Cheers,
Ian Foster

Hello Ian - which of FC's many systems are you trying ? I've found the 'Long Only Dow System' that is entered after the 24th of the month is quite good (only been doing it since December)
 
FC's Dow Long Only

nkruger said:
Hello Ian - which of FC's many systems are you trying ? I've found the 'Long Only Dow System' that is entered after the 24th of the month is quite good (only been doing it since December)

Yes, that is the one I am trading. It has been very good for me since July 2006.
I have been on 1 week skiing hols over the Jan and Feb periods - so have missed out on a small profit and a big loss.

I hope that you did not get hit hard in Feb.

Ian
 
crud-cutter said:
Yes, that is the one I am trading. It has been very good for me since July 2006.
I have been on 1 week skiing hols over the Jan and Feb periods - so have missed out on a small profit and a big loss.

I hope that you did not get hit hard in Feb.

Ian

Hit my stop loss (200pips) so not terrible - gained on other trades though. It makes you think when the market has turned like this, that this system will probably be less successful in a bear market.......

NK
 
I heard somewhere that the days between Xmas and New Year are 5 of the most bullish (in terms of consistency, not amount) in a year, so most guaranteed. Any thoughts?
 
Hi all,

I think that the statements made above need to be taken in context.
First, the bullishness and bearishness depend on the market in quesion i.e. In the S&P since 1984, Monday's have been the most bullish in terms of finishing positive, whilst Wednesday have been the most bullish in terms of average move up.
Second, certain days of the week need to be isolated in terms of economic news. i.e. Fed Tuesday, Unemployment Thursdays, NFP Fridays etc.
I would be interested to know if anyone has undertaken any market specific studies as I mentioned above.

Good Trading.

GY
 
Top