Small MD Pro update
I know I stated that I would post my backtest findings for MD Pro this weekend (Sunday). I’m sorry, but it is taking forever to get the backtests done because of constant crashes on MT4. I haven’t experienced this type of instability before. Funny thing is that it was working for several hours straight Sunday morning (I could complete EURUSD and EURCHF optimization runs then), then it went back to it’s normal crashes. So the situation right now is that EURGBP with aggressive=false isn’t tested at all. I have run optimization runs for all the other pairs both with and without the aggressive setting.
The method I’m using is to run a optimization run YTD (2009.01.01) to find the good prospects. I am focusing on settings that give a profit factor of more than 1.5 with no more than 10% DD YTD, so if a setting is profitable, but gives say 20% DD, I adjust the risk down to give 10%. If a setting is giving less than 10% I don’t turn risk up. Then I backtest that setting since 2008.01.01 also, just as a verification. I really wanted to run the full 10 year test, but so far the crashes have hindered me.
So far I have found all pairs to be profitable. EURCHF is really good actually, even better than EURUSD I would say. The DD is real low with risk setting 0.1. USDCHF seems to be the weakest, but still profitable with the right settings. The weirdest thing is that EURGBP (with aggressive settings) is clearly the winner YTD. It more than triples the account with very low DD (and this is with risk 0.1). It is so amazing that I can’t really believe the result.
It is clear that the spread on your broker is a very very important piece of the puzzle here. I have been using Alpari UK history in the backtests. Of course backtests are only indictive. Forward tests on a demo account is better, but even that isn’t quite like a live account. When I’m done with the tests and the evaluation of the results, I will setup demos at a few different brokers I think. Probably throw in the usual suspects of Alpari UK, Forex.com/UK and FXCM UK together with some ECNs. Suggestions of good ECN MT4 brokers is happily accepted. Of course all suggestions of good brokers are accepted, regardless of type. I am really looking for new ones.
I good ECN would be ATC brokers, and also Broco with their “pro” currenex feed (Broco Investor), and lastly but not least, PFG Best MT4
@hansen
ATC and PFGBest is on my to-try list since before, but Broco is a new acquaintance for me. Thanks, will check them out. I’m also looking at FxOpen ECN/STP (not their regular one), MB Trading, JadeFX and TheCollectiveFX. And since I have the MT4->JFOREX bridge I recon I should try it on Dukascopy as well. Just have to find a good MT4 stream that correlates good with Dukas stream… Not so easy I think
Oh, and FXCBS also. Forgot them. Cashbackforex.com is offering 15% of the commission back now, so they’re a real candidate.
there is also gomarkets australia now that I remember.
@hansen
Thanks. They have nice ratings at FPA I see, will check them out also.
Man I need another computer/VPS to run all these brokers on…
The Aslan Group is working on cashback for GoMarkets it seems. 0.3pips/lot to start with, but still better than nothing.
http://www.donnaforex.com/forum/index.php?topic=523.msg10216#msg10216