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Below we offer tables that show the best predictors of open to close behavior of stocks from Feb of 2001 to June of 2005.

The obvious (an understatement) trend:  an outrageously strong tendency for losers in the afterhours to gain, and gainers in the afterhours to lose.  Before you quit your regular job and become a daytrader, however, one should consider the possibility that it's precisely the stocks with large afterhours losses that tend to have large bid/ask spreads at the open.  We've also noted that such stocks often pop out of the gate quite quickly once the market opens, meaning that it might be difficult to catch these gains.  Over time we should hone in on what works and what doesn't with more precision.

As always (or almost always), the gains and losses in the tables (in red) are annualized figures.  Divide by 250 (the number of trading days in a year) to get an actual per day estimate of gains gotten via these strategies.

There are some other interesting trends: 

*stocks with nice gains from open to close in the previous session tend to gain nicely in the next session (momentum!).  It does seem that combining large afterhours losses with nice gains in the regular hours is all the more potent.

*stocks that have been weak in the afterhours over the last month (a low "afterhours_stat" value) have a way of faring well in regular hours.

*increasing recent volume does tend to signal gains.

*be a bit wary of naive pair-trading strategies...going with stocks that have outperformed their "trading partners" may actually be superior to looking for those that have underperformed (which is contrary to the usual pair-trading view).

*though it's not horribly significant, looking for stocks that have a history of faring well at the particular time of year you're considering a trade has been advisable.  We've seen this tendency repeatedly in short-term trading tests...it's no fluke.

*for shorts, you can pretty much reverse the above trends.  Note that choosing stocks with big losses from the most recent close-to-close is actually a bit more potent than choosing afterhours gainers in one of the cells below.

Date(ymd): 010223
Average Gain: 8.04
Group Stdev: 51.27
Market Focus: 4.9+3.4
(0.00000, 0.00000)
Market Focus5: 3.5+2.1

one day from open to close

Top Gaining Groups
482.40 vskew 15.76 to 24.96 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
467.78 pave 10.66 to 31.59 (10)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
467.05 prd_lastyear 1.11 to 2.02 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
414.68 pave -11.72 to -7.83 (2)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
414.66 corr_f 0.32 to 0.49 (1)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
410.47 volume3_10 0.46 to 2.07 (10)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
408.37 vslice47 0.19 to 0.36 (9)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
398.60 resist2 0.05 to 0.10 (6)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
392.96 afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)+ vstock_ind 3.19 to 7.42 (9)
391.09 slice3 0.30 to 0.50 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
389.59 volume10_60 0.50 to 4.74 (10)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
384.41 open_moment -1.71 to -0.92 (3)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
384.34 pskew 17.22 to 25.54 (9)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
374.72 pair_dif 0.00 to 0.38 (6)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
373.60 volume1_3 0.49 to 1.93 (10)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
372.95 gain4 -0.40 to 0.00 (5)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
370.96 volume10_60 -1.00 to -0.40 (1)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
367.85 mov_ave100 0.08 to 0.13 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
365.80 vslice97 0.35 to 0.54 (9)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
364.39 inertia 58.00 to 63.00 (2)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
359.38 momentum 17.26 to 32.07 (9)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
359.22 slice97 0.00 to 0.20 (6)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
357.78 momentum 4.03 to 9.53 (7)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
356.68 vstdev 21.00 to 23.84 (9)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
353.05 resist1 0.19 to 0.31 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
348.90 stock_ind 0.31 to 0.52 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
348.81 pstdev 17.69 to 18.04 (8)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
347.69 volume1_3 0.27 to 0.49 (9)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
345.64 ptotal -13.96 to -2.58 (1)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
345.62 ptotal -1.58 to -0.96 (3)+ afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
Losing Groups
-374.90 leadership 1.00 to 2.00 (7)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-324.34 vslice47 -0.27 to -0.21 (2)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-313.54 vslice3 0.10 to 0.15 (7)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-309.09 slice3 -0.17 to -0.02 (5)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-308.44 slice47 -0.29 to -0.13 (4)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-298.71 big_vslice -175019.44 to -62888.23 (1)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-297.93 vskew -37.04 to -23.45 (2)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-297.17 slice97 0.42 to 0.68 (8)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-295.81 close-low 0.97 to 1.29 (5)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-293.82 leadership -1.00 to 0.00 (5)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-286.24 vkurt 2.88 to 3.18 (9)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-282.89 pskew -7.67 to -3.00 (4)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-280.94 resist2 -0.87 to -0.24 (1)+ slice97 -0.19 to 0.00 (5)
-278.40 ptotal -13.96 to -2.58 (1)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-277.11 gain3 -1.68 to -0.96 (3)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-271.52 pkurt 3.01 to 3.06 (8)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-270.20 ptotal -0.49 to -0.05 (5)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-268.26 pave 1.83 to 4.15 (7)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-266.79 pair_dif20 15.66 to 24.95 (9)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-263.89 corr 0.00 to 0.60 (1)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-260.97 afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)+ vtotal -3.04 to -1.52 (4)
-260.82 vstdev 4.44 to 10.32 (1)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-259.37 volume3_10 -0.99 to -0.40 (1)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-258.63 vave 3.48 to 6.02 (9)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-258.59 pskew -20.96 to -13.14 (2)+ mov_ave20 -0.57 to -0.08 (1)
-258.59 volume1_3 0.15 to 0.27 (8)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-258.27 stock_ind -5822.04 to -1.18 (1)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-257.26 vskew 37.61 to 117.95 (10)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-257.18 prd_3yrs 0.96 to 0.98 (4)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-256.99 corr 0.60 to 0.64 (2)+ afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
Date(ymd): 010223
Average Gain: 7.80
Group Stdev: 51.49
Market Focus: 8.3+2.6
(0.00000, 0.00000)
Market Focus5: 1.3+1.3

one day from open to close

Top Gaining Groups
622.02 afterhours -8327.50 to -1122.50 (1)
522.18 afterhours -1122.50 to -807.50 (2)
302.16 afterhours -662.50 to -575.00 (4)
286.28 close-open 8.54 to 49.66 (100)
260.60 afterhours -807.50 to -662.50 (3)
238.60 close-low 11.11 to 58.40 (100)
214.80 resist2 0.77 to 0.87 (95)
210.20 move_ave5 0.10 to 0.51 (100)
205.22 prcvd_risk 9.45 to 11.27 (96)
199.43 afterhours -502.50 to -450.00 (6)
183.53 volume3_10 1.19 to 2.07 (100)
180.92 afterhours_sta -1.88 to -1.65 (10)
176.21 pskew -4.88 to -4.44 (37)
174.24 open_moment -8.31 to -6.89 (3)
173.18 ptotal 3.84 to 4.26 (97)
171.44 pave -11.72 to -11.21 (11)
169.90 close-open 5.71 to 6.69 (98)
166.78 prcvd_risk 6.29 to 7.11 (93)
163.41 vstdev 17.22 to 17.35 (59)
161.40 stock_ind 0.49 to 0.52 (80)
160.01 recent_price 5.95 to 6.26 (12)
159.81 leadership -5.30 to -5.00 (14)
159.34 close-low 6.22 to 6.78 (96)
157.78 afterhours_sta -123.59 to -12.12 (1)
157.19 afterhours_sta -7.42 to -5.41 (3)
153.12 stdev 0.02 to 0.02 (73)
149.12 mov_ave100 -0.29 to -0.26 (5)
148.09 vskew -4.64 to -3.84 (44)
147.93 break_ave 27.88 to 30.61 (96)
146.42 volume1_3 0.43 to 0.46 (89)
Losing Groups
-296.07 gain1 -47.95 to -8.62 (1)
-293.91 afterhours 1132.50 to 11200.00 (100)
-292.33 close-open -35.00 to -8.35 (1)
-253.57 high-close 10.94 to 64.25 (100)
-228.31 3monthgain -30.16 to -27.78 (7)
-219.56 pair_dif -10.00 to -4.80 (1)
-214.42 afterhours 817.50 to 1132.50 (99)
-195.85 prcvd_risk 19.25 to 30.07 (99)
-195.47 afterhours 667.50 to 817.50 (98)
-186.32 prd_lastyear -9.72 to -7.51 (2)
-184.75 3monthgain -22.55 to -21.13 (11)
-176.79 afterhours_sta 7.71 to 11.70 (98)
-175.32 prcvd_risk 5.66 to 6.29 (92)
-169.55 mov_ave100 -0.32 to -0.29 (4)
-168.72 afterhours 332.50 to 365.00 (92)
-160.59 resist2 -0.26 to -0.24 (10)
-159.93 afterhours 442.50 to 495.00 (95)
-159.58 vslice47 -0.30 to -0.29 (8)
-154.27 mov_ave100 -0.24 to -0.22 (7)
-153.79 slice3 -1.27 to -1.18 (4)
-151.20 afterhours_sta 11.70 to 20.71 (99)
-148.11 yeargain -71.97 to -66.88 (3)
-147.83 break_ave -25.31 to -23.18 (6)
-145.86 high-close 3.48 to 3.63 (86)
-145.52 open-yclose 1.63 to 1.82 (94)
-141.90 pair_dif -4.80 to -4.14 (2)
-141.30 pskew 45.33 to 76.92 (100)
-141.12 slice97 -10.16 to -2.29 (1)
-141.05 high_moment -0.17 to -0.14 (3)
-138.62 vstdev 11.11 to 11.30 (15)
Date(ymd): 010223
Average Gain: 7.82
Group Stdev: 29.17
Market Focus: 11.3+4.7
(0.00000, 0.00000)
Market Focus5: 0.7+1.0

one day from open to close

Top Gaining Groups
427.80 afterhours -8327.50 to -575.00 (1)
142.76 afterhours -575.00 to -367.50 (2)
119.94 prcvd_risk 6.29 to 11.27 (24)
117.35 close-low 6.78 to 58.40 (25)
117.11 close-open 5.04 to 49.66 (25)
107.67 afterhours_sta -123.59 to -4.19 (1)
97.78 open_moment -52.63 to -5.99 (1)
96.72 inertia 110.00 to 233.00 (25)
95.62 afterhours_sta -4.19 to -2.12 (2)
92.33 afterhours -367.50 to -260.00 (3)
91.79 high_moment 0.09 to 0.12 (24)
88.52 gain1 5.35 to 77.78 (25)
88.21 volume3_10 0.75 to 2.07 (25)
80.24 markcap_est 0.58 to 19.86 (1)
77.49 momentum 17.26 to 21.71 (21)
76.43 open_moment -1.33 to -1.04 (7)
75.57 afterhours -260.00 to -197.50 (4)
75.00 volume1_3 -0.99 to -0.59 (1)
74.75 move_ave5 0.04 to 0.06 (24)
71.24 stdev 0.03 to 0.04 (23)
70.86 inertia 69.00 to 70.00 (11)
70.62 corr 0.70 to 0.71 (11)
70.31 high-close 0.00 to 0.00 (1)
68.71 mov_ave20 0.04 to 0.05 (20)
67.88 stock_ind 0.43 to 0.52 (20)
65.99 stock_ind 0.28 to 0.35 (18)
65.30 recent_price 9.25 to 10.81 (6)
64.43 pair_dif20 27.83 to 37.85 (24)
64.05 slice3 0.50 to 0.60 (21)
63.77 volume10_60 -1.00 to -0.53 (1)
Losing Groups
-204.59 afterhours 567.50 to 11200.00 (25)
-130.03 afterhours 365.00 to 567.50 (24)
-110.53 afterhours 260.00 to 365.00 (23)
-107.74 close-open -35.00 to -4.75 (1)
-98.46 pair_dif -10.00 to -3.41 (1)
-83.47 afterhours_sta 5.80 to 152.95 (25)
-78.36 prcvd_risk 11.27 to 302.09 (25)
-73.62 resist2 -0.29 to -0.20 (3)
-72.74 gain1 -47.95 to -4.90 (1)
-71.69 prd_lastyear -41.29 to -5.66 (1)
-71.11 break_ave -28.04 to -19.90 (2)
-70.69 high-close 6.62 to 64.25 (25)
-70.21 gain1 -3.45 to -2.65 (3)
-70.00 mov_ave100 -0.73 to -0.29 (1)
-69.03 slice3 -5.79 to -1.17 (1)
-68.66 3monthgain -35.73 to -25.81 (2)
-60.09 high_moment -1.08 to -0.13 (1)
-58.88 open_moment 1.47 to 1.84 (20)
-57.91 high-close 3.33 to 4.00 (22)
-56.41 vslice97 -0.16 to -0.12 (10)
-56.11 afterhours 0.00 to 7.50 (14)
-54.13 mov_ave20 -0.57 to -0.13 (1)
-53.59 open-yclose 1.47 to 2.34 (24)
-53.48 gain1 -0.83 to -0.61 (9)
-51.78 gain2 -3.45 to -2.60 (3)
-50.62 afterhours 152.50 to 197.50 (21)
-50.54 vstdev 14.85 to 15.37 (11)
-50.43 3monthgain -25.81 to -19.72 (3)
-50.01 pave 8.20 to 9.79 (22)
-48.81 volume3_10 -0.53 to -0.43 (2)
Date(ymd): 010223
Average Gain: 7.79
Group Stdev: 21.50
Market Focus: 9.0+5.7
(0.00000, 0.00000)
Market Focus5: 0.5+0.4

one day from open to close

Top Gaining Groups
244.68 afterhours -8327.50 to -305.00 (1)
91.75 afterhours_sta -123.59 to -1.65 (1)
71.97 close-open 3.05 to 49.66 (10)
63.85 move_ave5 0.03 to 0.51 (10)
62.07 afterhours -305.00 to -150.00 (2)
60.20 momentum 17.26 to 32.07 (9)
59.84 close-low 4.54 to 58.40 (10)
59.53 open_moment -1.71 to -0.92 (3)
56.70 open_moment -52.63 to -3.31 (1)
54.72 high_moment 0.08 to 0.62 (10)
49.99 stock_ind 0.31 to 0.52 (8)
48.43 big_pslice 708.18 to 1152.63 (8)
48.22 ptotal -2.58 to -1.58 (2)
47.79 markcap_est 0.58 to 43.42 (1)
47.16 corr 0.70 to 0.72 (5)
46.80 volume3_10 0.46 to 2.07 (10)
46.55 high-close 0.00 to 0.11 (1)
46.37 gain1 0.97 to 1.73 (8)
45.06 volume10_60 0.50 to 4.74 (10)
43.68 vstdev 16.11 to 17.50 (6)
42.18 vslice3 0.26 to 1.02 (10)
40.02 3monthgain 31.84 to 888.92 (10)
39.54 pair_dif20 24.95 to 355.47 (10)
39.12 vave 1.87 to 3.48 (8)
38.98 gain1 3.17 to 77.78 (10)
38.52 resist3 0.09 to 0.16 (7)
38.34 pair_dif20 -2.36 to 1.56 (5)
36.09 volume1_3 -0.99 to -0.45 (1)
35.04 pskew 17.22 to 25.54 (9)
35.04 pair_dif -0.29 to 0.00 (5)
Losing Groups
-160.85 afterhours 305.00 to 11200.00 (10)
-54.72 afterhours 152.50 to 305.00 (9)
-53.61 3monthgain -78.52 to -22.55 (1)
-51.31 resist2 -0.87 to -0.24 (1)
-47.27 mov_ave100 -0.73 to -0.18 (1)
-45.77 mov_ave20 -0.57 to -0.08 (1)
-44.21 close-open -35.00 to -2.89 (1)
-40.89 open-yclose 1.22 to 61.85 (10)
-40.13 gain1 -2.97 to -1.68 (2)
-39.72 open_moment 3.52 to 33.44 (10)
-39.65 afterhours_sta 2.01 to 152.95 (10)
-39.22 high_moment -1.08 to -0.07 (1)
-33.47 break_ave -73.37 to -16.87 (1)
-33.26 high-close 4.39 to 64.25 (10)
-33.01 pair_dif -10.00 to -2.26 (1)
-28.91 vslice47 -1.11 to -0.27 (1)
-28.73 pskew 6.09 to 11.18 (7)
-28.53 slice3 -0.83 to -0.54 (2)
-27.94 high-close 2.87 to 4.39 (9)
-27.61 slice3 -5.79 to -0.83 (1)
-26.74 resist3 -0.25 to -0.11 (2)
-26.06 gain1 -47.95 to -2.97 (1)
-24.38 momentum -99.79 to -30.25 (1)
-22.41 volume1_3 -0.21 to -0.12 (4)
-22.40 big_pslice -19663.11 to -1860.33 (1)
-21.78 markcap_est 67469.55 to 23858984.00 (10)
-21.61 vslice97 -0.36 to -0.22 (3)
-21.50 close-open -2.89 to -1.63 (2)
-21.48 big_vslice -175019.44 to -62888.23 (1)
-21.40 vkurt 2.18 to 2.29 (4)
Date(ymd): 010223
Average Gain: 7.78
Group Stdev: 17.08
Market Focus: 6.7+5.0
(0.00000, 0.00000)
Market Focus5: 0.1+0.4

one day from open to close

Top Gaining Groups
152.46 afterhours -8327.50 to -150.00 (1)
58.80 afterhours_sta -123.59 to -0.70 (1)
42.53 close-open 1.67 to 49.66 (5)
41.82 high_moment 0.05 to 0.62 (5)
39.47 momentum 17.26 to 598.88 (5)
38.07 open_moment -52.63 to -1.71 (1)
37.36 close-low 3.04 to 58.40 (5)
35.99 ptotal -13.96 to -1.58 (1)
35.83 markcap_est 0.58 to 97.38 (1)
35.26 volume3_10 0.25 to 2.07 (5)
34.43 open_moment -1.71 to -0.40 (2)
33.62 high-close 0.00 to 0.35 (1)
32.90 volume10_60 0.26 to 4.74 (5)
32.61 stock_ind 0.15 to 0.52 (4)
31.37 move_ave5 0.02 to 0.51 (5)
31.32 pair_dif -0.29 to 0.38 (3)
30.71 mov_ave20 0.02 to 0.05 (4)
30.36 big_pslice 337.44 to 1152.63 (4)
29.66 3monthgain 18.83 to 888.92 (5)
28.87 open-yclose -50.17 to -0.60 (1)
27.70 corr 0.70 to 0.74 (3)
26.67 gain1 1.73 to 77.78 (5)
25.68 break_ave 12.06 to 179.86 (5)
24.87 leadership 3.50 to 31.20 (5)
24.50 close-open 0.42 to 1.67 (4)
24.21 prd_max 0.07 to 0.85 (5)
23.44 gain1 0.43 to 1.73 (4)
23.43 corr_f 0.56 to 0.59 (3)
23.43 pkurt 2.96 to 3.06 (4)
23.33 slice3 0.50 to 5.57 (5)
Losing Groups
-107.52 afterhours 152.50 to 11200.00 (5)
-33.09 gain1 -47.95 to -1.68 (1)
-32.85 close-open -35.00 to -1.63 (1)
-30.47 high-close 2.87 to 64.25 (5)
-27.67 slice3 -5.79 to -0.54 (1)
-26.72 3monthgain -78.52 to -12.20 (1)
-24.89 afterhours_sta 0.70 to 152.95 (5)
-21.22 mov_ave20 -0.57 to -0.04 (1)
-18.42 open_moment 1.84 to 33.43 (5)
-18.15 vskew 24.96 to 117.95 (5)
-17.71 vslice47 -1.11 to -0.21 (1)
-17.26 big_vslice -175019.44 to -47010.48 (1)
-16.83 stock_ind -5822.04 to -0.57 (1)
-16.73 vslice97 -0.36 to -0.12 (2)
-16.24 resist3 -0.91 to -0.11 (1)
-15.33 afterhours -20.00 to 22.50 (3)
-14.92 momentum -17.57 to -5.07 (2)
-14.49 vslice3 -0.19 to -0.01 (2)
-12.52 break_ave -73.37 to -8.68 (1)
-12.20 high_moment -1.08 to -0.04 (1)
-11.33 high_moment -0.04 to -0.01 (2)
-11.25 markcap_est 5551.64 to 23858984.00 (5)
-11.02 vstdev 17.50 to 21.00 (4)
-11.01 big_pslice -19663.11 to -1151.67 (1)
-10.73 close-open -1.63 to -0.40 (2)
-10.28 prd_max -0.60 to -0.06 (1)
-10.16 move_ave5 -0.02 to 0.00 (2)
-9.68 resist2 -0.87 to -0.11 (1)
-9.53 pair_dif20 -548.81 to -13.99 (1)
-9.28 mov_ave100 -0.73 to -0.09 (1)

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