Systematic Trader’s and Market Timing traders may use the 200 day Simple Moving Average as their trading plan. The 200 day moving average is basic technical analysis. It is a good market timing trading plan for active trading in indexes and ETF’s that have trend following characteristics. It can produce disastrous results if used for every stock index, ETF, or stock.

Other widely followed moving averages are the 100 day moving average and the 50 day moving average. Some money managers will use these moving averages with a shorter moving average and use the cross of the shorter moving average above or below the longer moving average to generate trading signals. The goal of two moving averages and even 3 moving averages is to eliminate whipsaws that often occur with moving averages as a technical analysis indicator.

Why should you care about the signals produced with the 200 day moving average? There are so many people using the 200 day moving average, that we will often see extreme volatility in indexes when they cross both above and below the 200 day moving average.

The below chart shows the current 200 day simple moving average condition on the 50 most actively traded ETF’s. 

On Friday January 29, 2010, the EWH ETF for Hong Kong gave a 200 day “Sell Signals joining the FXI ETF for China and the USO ETF for Oil.  The UUP ETF for the U.S. Dollar is still below the 200 Day SMA, but above the 50 Day SMA.

You need to pay attention to these signals.  They may reverse, but many other shorter term moving average systems are now on a “Short”  Watch in coming days for more “Sell Signals”

Security Name Trend3 Ticker
Barclays High Yield Bond Stay Long JNK
BRIC IShares Stay Long BKF
Coal Power Shares Stay Long PKOL
DB Commodity Index Stay Long DBC
Diamond Trust DOW Stay Long DIA
Energy Select SPDR Stay Long XLE
Internet Holders Stay Long HHH
IPath India Index Stay Long INP
IShare Russell 2000 Stay Long IWM
IShares 25 Index Stay Short FXI
IShares Australia Stay Long EWA
IShares Basic Materials Stay Long IYM
IShares DJ Real Estate Stay Long IYR
Ishares DJ Transportation Stay Long IYT
Ishares Emerging Markets Stay Long EEM
IShares Financial Sector Stay Long IYF
IShares Germany Stay Long EWG
IShares Hong Kong New Short EWH
IShares Latin America Stay Long ILF
IShares Mexico Stay Long EWW
IShares Mid Cap 400 Stay Long IJH
IShares MSCI EAFE Stay Long EFA
IShares MSCI Japan Stay Long EWJ
IShares Pacific ex Japan Stay Long EPP
IShares S&P 500 Growth Stay Long IVW
Ishares S&P Small Cap 600 Stay Long IJR
IShares Silver Stay Long SLV
IShares South Africa Stay Long EZA
IShares South Korea Stay Long EWY
IShares Taiwan Stay Long EWT
IShares United Kingdom Stay Long EWU
NDX 100 Stay Long QQQQ
Oil Service Holders Stay Long OIH
Pharmaceutical Holders Stay Long PPH
PowerShares US Dollar Index Stay Short UUP
Russia Stay Long RSX
RYDEX S&P 500 Equal Weight Stay Long RSP
S&P 500 Stay Long SPY
Semiconductor Holders Stay Long SMH
SPDR Consumer Descretionary Stay Long XLY
SPDR Consumer Staples Stay Long XLP
SPDR Gold Shares Stay Long GLD
SPDR Healthcare Stay Long XLV
SPDR Industrial Sector Stay Long XLI
SPDR International Real Estate Stay Long RWX
SPDR Materials Stay Long XLB
SPDR Metal & Mining Stay Long XME
SPDR Mid Cap Stay Long MDY
SPDR S&P Homebuilders Stay Long XHB
SPDR Technology Stay Long XLK
Steel Market Vector Stay Long SLX
US Oil Stay Short USO
Wisdom Tree Total Dividend Stay Long DTD

You should not trade any systematic trading plan without proper back testing and analysis of the trading characteristics of the index, stock or ETF you are trading. 

These trading signals are provided courtesy of the website you are viewing this information should not be used without research and advice from a financial professional.

Be aware that this condition can and will change any day in the future.

We monitor the 200 day moving average daily along with a number of other systematic trading plans.

There is No “Holy Grail” in trading systems. Do not use the 200 day SMA or any other systematic trading system without proper research on the asset.

For questions on rule based, systematic trading, contact

mark@seleznovcapitaladvisors.com

www.seleznovcapitaladvisors.com