multiple strategies one instrument

[billr]

I am not particulary proficient at certain programming techniques and would like to run multiple, relatively simple strategies on the same instrument (rather than consolidate into one master strategy). I would set each strategy to avoid simultaneous orders by more than one strategy.

Is there a reason to completely avoid doing this? If not, what are some potential problems I need to consider?

I am using NT7 23 and will update to non-beta soon. Broker is MBTrading.

Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_Austin]

Bill, it is not advised to run multiple strategies on the same instrument because these strategies will act independent of each other, which would throw off the position tracking. If you can set each strategy to avoid simultaneous orders by more than one strategy, then this could work out, but you'll have to test it extensively to make sure there is no interference.

[billr]

Thanks Austin. I was wondering about the position tracking. I have not figured out how Ninja tracks position. Sometimes, it seems to go haywire and progressively increases its order quantity in what I assume is an effort to get back to what the program sees as the correct specified quantity. I have had this problem if I start a strategy with an existing position, or if something happens and I need to do any manual trading in the same instrument.

So even if I can avoid simultaneous trades, I still run the risk of the position tracking getting out of sync due to other activity in the same instrument. Which would cause the order quantity to be constantly changed by Ninja in order to compensate for what it reads as a discrepancy in the correct quantity? Correct?

[NinjaTrader_RyanM1]

The position information only relates to one particular strategy instance. There is no communication between strategies so identifying what should be happening in your account is challenging when multiple strategies can place orders.

What you may consider doing is creating multiple sim accounts. You can then run each strategy on its own account. Sim accounts are created in the Tools > Options > Simulator tab. Trading multiple sim accounts requires a live NinjaTrader license.