Build Your First Strategy: A Step-by-Step Guide

2. Basic Mean Reversion / Sector Rotation

 


Mean reversion strategies thrive on buying assets that are temporarily cheap and waiting for them to snap back. This guide shows a super simple version using just one metric—the Percent to Long-Term Call Wall—applied to a static universe of broad-market ETFs.

It’s a building block you can copy, test, and improve.

  • Pre-select a diversified basket of ETFs covering major sectors, styles, and asset classes:

    • Sectors: Tech, Utilities, Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare, Energy, Basic Materials, Industrials, Transports, Real Estate

    • Broad Market: SPY (S&P 500), QQQ (NASDAQ), MDY (Mid-Cap)

    • Style: Momentum ETF

    • Non-Equities: GLD (Gold), TLT (Long-Term Bonds)

    • Add the “Percent to Long Term Call Wall” metric.

    • This is the distance from current price to the highest open-interest long-term call strike (the “call wall”).

    • High % = oversold → plenty of room to rebound toward the wall.

    • Rank all ETFs and select the Top 4 with the highest % to Call Wall.

Launch and Configure the Backtest

  • Click "Launch Backtest" and select "Strategy" mode.

  • Run in "Static" mode to pre-select the stock universe

  • Positions Minimum : 4

  • Weighting : Volatility Parity

  • Max Weight per Position : 50%

  • Rebalance Interval Every 2 weeks

  • Backtest Period : 5 years

Analyze the Results

  • Mean reversion is riskier than momentum—you’re buying weakness after all, and weakness is usually present for a reason.

  • This version works because it’s diversified across asset classes and uses options-implied price targets sourced from liquid contracts.

  • Improvements: Adding fundamental filters (e.g., earnings quality, low debt, positive earnings / EPS growth) helps avoid value traps.

Model Screener Link: https://live.signal-sigma.com/invitation/stock-screener/qPB_MUM9

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Model Strategy Link: https://live.signal-sigma.com/invitation/strategy/617NZlqN