Thinking Stuff's ATM

Automated Trading Machine (ATM) makes it simple to remove fear and greed from your trading. Automated trading is no longer just for the rich or nerdy. Our revolutionary software runs on your computer, using your trading rules, but none of your emotions. There's just one requirement - you know how to use a mouse.  Learn more...

Thinking Stuff's ATE

Automated Trading Execution (ATE) is where we run your trading systems for you on our servers. Your system can be exported from ATM, or written in plain English and we'll make it for you. We'll even backtest and suggest improvements if you want us to. This service essentially automates your automated trading.  Learn more...

Thinking Stuff's Groups

Join a group of like-minded individuals, and help each other to trading success. Once you join a group, you will have access to that group's trading systems, ideas, and feedback. And please contribute your own knowledge as much as possible. Or contact us to start your own group.  Learn more...

PWB#5 - Impossible Trading Systems

If you create a trading system that buys and sells about 80 times a day, essentially that system is impossible for a single human to trade. Either you would need to automate it, or have a group of people so you could get some sleep at some point.

If you can only guarantee you can be at the computer between the times of 2pm and 4pm, then your backtesting cannot scan data over the entire 24 hours of the day. It must only use data available between 2pm and 4pm.

If your account does not allow hedging (that is, holding both a long and short position in the same currency in the same account), then backtesting a system that hedges is pointless. (Although you should be able to set up two accounts - one for your long trades and one for your short).

A post over at Trader Eyal shows another type of situation where your backtesting might not reflect the reality - he wanted to go short on some stocks, but the broker he uses did not have any of that stock available. This is for stocks, I'm not sure currency would have the same situation, but there it is.