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D.E Shaw Step 5
Today’s Change

A symphony is an automated trading strategy — Learn more about symphonies here

About

A complex, daily-rebalanced, multi-asset strategy that mixes momentum/trend signals with hedges (cash/BIL and volatility ETFs) and leveraged bets to pursue growth while trying to limit drawdowns. It rotates among broad market proxies, sectors, bonds, and commodities based on RSI and moving-average signals.
NutHow it works
Plain-language view of how it operates: - The system slices capital into many modules, each looking at different signals and assets. On a given day, it computes signals from momentum (how fast prices are rising or falling), trend (is the price above or below a moving average), and volatility cues (are we seeing spikes in market fear?). If a module’s rules say an asset looks attractive, the module suggests buying or increasing exposure to that asset. If a module signals danger (e.g., market is getting choppy or down), it moves capital into hedges or cash to reduce risk. - Signals come from familiar ideas, translated into ETF decisions: - Momentum and trend: If price momentum looks strong (assets are rising and are above their trend lines), the system will tilt toward higher-beta, leveraged ETFs to try to capture bigger gains. If momentum looks weak or the price is near/under its trend, assets get trimmed or hedged. - RSI-like checks: RSI tells us whether something is overbought (hot and likely due for a pullback) or oversold (cool and could rebound). When RSI is very high, the system may switch into hedges like UVXY or VIX-related products or cash. When RSI is low, it may add risk-on bets. - Defensive positions: The system uses BIL (short-term T-bills) or SHY/IEF (treasury ETFs) to provide ballast during rough markets, and it may use leveraged hedges (like UVXY, VIX-related funds) to protect against spikes in volatility. - The approach is intentionally diversified and layered: it doesn’t bet on a single sector or asset. Instead it picks top performers from various groups (tech, energy, bonds, commodities, etc.) and also keeps a defensive sleeve that activates when risk rises. - The daily rebalance means the rules re-run every day and adjust the mix to reflect the current signals and risk conditions. - In short: it’s a big, rule-based puzzle that blends momentum, trend, hedging, and diversification to seek growth while guarding against big market drops. It is not a simple buy-and-hold plan and involves substantial complexity and risk.
CheckmarkValue prop
Out-of-sample, this strategy shows higher risk-adjusted returns (OOS Sharpe ~1.22 vs SPY ~1.20), lower max drawdown (14.1% vs 18.8%), and a stronger Calmar ratio—growth with downside protection versus the S&P 500.
1M
3M
6M
YTD
1Y
3Y
Max
Performance
Compared to selected benchmarks
AlphaBetaR2R
0.30.410.250.5
Performance Metrics
Cumulative ReturnAnnualized ReturnTrailing 1M ReturnTrailing 3M ReturnSharpe Ratio
283.4%13.31%-1.77%0.2%0.79
4,217.78%41.91%0.06%3.79%2.5
Initial Investment
$10,000.00
Final Value
$431,777.94
Regulatory Fees
$870.99
Total Slippage
$5,334.29
Invest in this strategy
OOS Start Date
Feb 17, 2024
Trading Setting
Daily
Type
Stocks
Category
Multi-asset, risk-managed, momentum-driven, volatility-hedged, dynamic-allocations, macro-overlays, leverage
Tickers in this symphonyThis symphony trades 94 assets in total
Ticker
Type
BIL
State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF
Stocks
BND
Vanguard Total Bond Market
Stocks
BOIL
ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Natural Gas
Stocks
BSV
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF
Stocks
BTAL
AGF U.S. Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund
Stocks
COP
ConocoPhillips
Stocks
CVE
Cenovus Energy Inc.
Stocks
CVX
Chevron Corporation
Stocks
DBC
Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund
Stocks
DBO
Invesco DB Oil Fund
Stocks

FAQ

A Composer symphony is an automated trading strategy that executes trades based on parameters of your choice. Some symphonies are similar to holding one ETF in normal conditions and rotating to a different ETF when market conditions shift, for example a 5% drop in the S&P 500, while others use complex rules with dozens of triggers. However, complex doesn’t always mean better. A simple, well-structured symphony can be just as effective as an intricate one. Learn more about how symphonies work here.

"D.E Shaw Step 5" is currently performing the same as yesterday today. Performance updates in real time during market hours.

"D.E Shaw Step 5" is currently allocated toUPRO, TYD, TIP, FCG, IEF, KOLD, USDU, TMF, VTIP, QQQ, DRN, SVXY, UUP, DBC, HYG, SHY, XNTK, LQD, SPY, TECL, BTAL, VLO, TQQQ, XLE, EDC, SH, MPC, IEI, DIG, GLD, TLT, UCO, TNA, TMV, BIL, SQQQ, TYO, XLP, BND, EFOandPSQ. Holdings automatically adjust as market conditions change based on the strategy's rules.

Year-to-date, "D.E Shaw Step 5" has returned 19.15%. You can adjust the performance chart above to view returns across different time horizons.

The maximum drawdown for "D.E Shaw Step 5" is 14.12%. The maximum drawdown measures the largest peak-to-trough decline. It's an important metric to evaluate risk and the strategy's behavior during market stress.

To invest in "D.E Shaw Step 5", simply click the Invest button on this page. You'll need to open an account with Composer if you don't have one yet, then you can start investing. Composer will automatically execute the trades for you based on the strategy's rules. Composer also supports trading individual stocks, ETFs, and options.