Backtest with Yahoo historical data

[foon33]

Hi,

Downloaded NT today.
I connected to yahoo to get historical data and start to play with strategies.
I added the FTSE 100 easily (very intuitive soft) but when I run the SampleMACrossOver the graph is updated with the SMAs but no trade is executed. I tried wth many other instrument and same issue.
I think it's to due with the fact that Yahoo onlye provides daily data but still don't understand why the backtest doesn't generate any order.

Any help is much appreciated :-)

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

foon33,

You can only backtest on a daily time frame if you are using Yahoo. Then you will need to ensure you are doing so on backtestable instruments. I suggest you run it on AAPL for instance to see how it works.

[foon33]

Tks for the quick reply.
I am backtesting with a daily time frame.

I tried AAPL and indeed it worked.
But I don't understand why AAPL is ok but not FTSE or SP500? All the prices come from Yahoo so what is the differences between AAPL and FTSE so that one works and not the other?

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

The difference is you cannot backtest on indexes. You will need to backtest on actual tradeable instruments. So for instance, SP500, you could use SPY.

[foon33]

ah :-)
Well I could not guess.
So if I transform FTSE to an equity, it should work.
Tks a lot.

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

You can't just "transform" an index to an equity. If the instrument is an index then it is an index. You could export the data and put it into a fake equity instrument if that is what you want. Or you could just use an ETF or something that tracks it.