Managing CashFlow in Strategy Backtest

[PrimoItch]

Hi,

I am making some backtest with a strategy that I've just implemented. But I am having a hard time managing the cash flow. Is there a built-in way of doing this? For example, I start my strategy with $1000,00 and I can't let my "account" became negative!!

Thanks!

[NinjaTrader_Kate]

Hello PrimoItch,

Thank you for your post.

When backtesting there is no means to set the values of the account. You would instead implement internal calculations in your strategy to calculate and track your own custom values for the desired account values.

For example:

Initial Capital = your backtest starting value.
UnrealizedPnL = (Position.GetUnrealizedProfitLoss(PerformanceUnit. Currency, Close[0]));
CumNetPnL = SystemPerformance.AllTrades.TradesPerformance.Curr ency.CumProfit;
CurrentCapital = InitialCapital + UnrealizedPnL + CumNetPnL

Then you could update these on each pass through On Bar Update and modify the logic from this example to stop the strategy after a set loss or profit amount:

https://ninjatrader.com/support/helpGuides/nt8/halting_a_strategy_once_user_d.htm

Please let us know if we may be of further assistance to you.

[bkonia]

This works when backtesting a single instrument, but when backtesting a basket of instruments, how can you keep track of your total cumulative profit of all instruments combined? For example, in OnBarUpdate() before entering a trade, I'd like to know the current cumulative profit of all instruments at that bar.

[NinjaTrader_Kate]

Hello bkonia,

Thank you for your reply.

Are you talking about using the Strategy Analyzer to run backtests on an entire instrument list? This wouldn't be possible as the backtests do not run simultaneously and each run of the strategy is a separate instance of the strategy.

Please let us know if we may be of further assistance to you.