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Date/Time: Sun, 24 Nov 2024 11:02:02 +0000



Maximum Open Position Profit/Loss going backwards

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[2013-10-25 00:20:44]
User76625 - Posts: 49
I've noticed during live trades that the maximum open position profit and loss can sometimes change in the opposite direction (i.e., the max open position profit goes down during a trade). Obviously one would expect it to stay at a value until that value is exceeded.

Interestingly enough, even when I see the max open profit decrease during a trade, once the trade is closed, the value will change to the correct highest value.

I read http://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=doc/doc_TradeActivityLog.php#TradesTabFieldsDescriptions and it mentions that SC does its best to record the high/low prices during the life of the trade but that inaccuracies can occur.

Is there a more reliable way to capture this value? Or a way to prevent inaccuracies? It can be useful to calculate retracement levels, but not if the high point is inaccurate.
[2013-10-25 00:45:26]
Sierra Chart Engineering - Posts: 104368
We need to know exactly where you are looking at these values? And then we may have further questions when we understand where you are looking at them.

Basically the way this works is the high and low that exist from fill to fill is recorded and reset upon each new fill. This data is then combined together when the trade is completed.

So what you are saying, does seem to make sense. Although we have to confirm that once we get more information from you. So if you are using Flat to Flat order fill matching, then what you describe can make sense and you have to wait until the Trade is completed to see the correct value.


Sierra Chart Support - Engineering Level

Your definitive source for support. Other responses are from users. Try to keep your questions brief and to the point. Be aware of support policy:
https://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=PostingInformation.php#GeneralInformation

For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, *change* to the Teton service:
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Date Time Of Last Edit: 2013-10-25 00:46:40
[2013-10-25 00:59:37]
User76625 - Posts: 49
I'm looking at the Trade Activity Log - Trades tab - Max Open Profit column.

It usually doesn't fluctuate much in the wrong direction, but today I watched it during a trade and refreshed it a couple times throughout the day, and it went from $3250 down to $3188, then up to $3300, then down again to $3200. I found that if I sat there and hit "Apply" every 20 seconds or so, the number would always change. Sometimes up a little, sometimes down a little.

After I closed the trade, Max Open Profit then reverted back to the correct highest value that was hit during the trade.

In case it helps - I'm only entering once and exiting once. I'm not adding to existing positions or anything like that. However I do usually have the Flat to Flat option selected, for no reason in particular, really.

Let me know if you need any more info.
[2013-10-25 01:36:02]
Sierra Chart Engineering - Posts: 104368
The problem is that until the trade is closed, the method by which the internal trade list is doing the calculation is incomplete. Therefore, the data is not accurate until such time the trade is complete. The only solution for us to do is just to keep the value at zero until the trade is complete.
Sierra Chart Support - Engineering Level

Your definitive source for support. Other responses are from users. Try to keep your questions brief and to the point. Be aware of support policy:
https://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=PostingInformation.php#GeneralInformation

For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, *change* to the Teton service:
Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing
[2013-10-25 02:08:29]
User76625 - Posts: 49
I'm sure there's a lot of stuff going on in the background that I don't understand, but why would the value ever go down? If I enter 1 contact at 100 and it moves to 105, the MaximumOpenPositionProfit and OpenProfitLoss should be 5. If price then moves back down to 102, then I would expect OpenProfitLoss would show 2 and MaximumOpenPositionProfit still 5. Why would MaximumOpenPositionProfit give anything other than 5 if that is the maximum open position profit?

I could see it getting more confusing if I were to constantly scale in and out, but with just one entry and then one exit to close that position, it seems like it should be giving an accurate value of the max open profit at any point during the life of the trade.

I'm trying to flatten a position if InternalPositionData.OpenProfitLoss < (InternalPositionData.MaximumOpenPositionProfit * X%). Basically, if the price retraces more than (1-X%), close out.

I guess I can try to re-write it to look at high/low price vs. current price instead of open profit vs. max profit. I just figured this was an easy way to look at the highest point, but only while a trade is active. But if MaximumOpenPositionProfit doesn't always give you the max open position profit, then that won't work.
[2013-10-25 02:29:07]
Sierra Chart Engineering - Posts: 104368
In the Trade Activity Log>> Trades, we are going to keep the maximum open position profit/loss values at zero until the trade is closed. The Trade Activity Log does not have access to the position High/Low data.

In ACSIL, this value is accurate and can be relied upon:
s_SCPositionData::MaximumOpenPositionProfit
Sierra Chart Support - Engineering Level

Your definitive source for support. Other responses are from users. Try to keep your questions brief and to the point. Be aware of support policy:
https://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=PostingInformation.php#GeneralInformation

For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, *change* to the Teton service:
Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing
Date Time Of Last Edit: 2013-10-25 02:30:08
[2013-10-25 02:36:05]
User76625 - Posts: 49
Ah, now that's a whole different ballgame then. I figured that the value I was seeing in the Trade Activity Log was the same value my code was using. If I can rely on the ACSIL value of s_SCPositionData::MaximumOpenPositionProfit then disregard the whole thing!
[2013-10-29 02:00:55]
Futures Operator - Posts: 239
I've encountered this same issue, and use the Runup/Max Open Profit fields in the Trade Activity Log to manually manage trades.

Is it possible to add a field to the Trade Window to get position High/Low data and show an accurate live Max Runup/Max Open PnL while in a trade?
Date Time Of Last Edit: 2013-10-29 02:02:53
[2013-10-29 02:55:31]
Sierra Chart Engineering - Posts: 104368
The Trade Window does show the current Open Profit/Loss. The other fields are not available on the Trade Window.
Sierra Chart Support - Engineering Level

Your definitive source for support. Other responses are from users. Try to keep your questions brief and to the point. Be aware of support policy:
https://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=PostingInformation.php#GeneralInformation

For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, *change* to the Teton service:
Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing
[2013-10-29 03:05:41]
Futures Operator - Posts: 239
I understand, please consider adding an option to show the Max Open PnL for Trade and Day, to the Trade Window, especially since no longer available in the Trade Activity Log while in a trade.

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