Relative Strength Strategies for Investing

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present simple quantitative methods that improve risk-adjusted returns for investing in US equity sectors and global asset class portfolios. A relative strength model is tested on the French-Fama US equity sector data back to the 1920s that results in increased absolute returns with equity-like risk. The relative strength portfolios outperform the buy and hold benchmark in approximately 70% of all years and returns are persistent across time. The addition of a trend-following parameter to dynamically hedge the portfolio decreases both volatility and drawdown. The relative strength model is then tested across a portfolio of global asset classes with supporting results.

Keywords: Tactical Asset Allocation, Stocks, Bonds, Real Estate, Quantitative, Momentum, ETFs, Commodities, GTAA

JEL Classification: G11, C10, C50, E00