Viking Analytics: Weekly Gamma Band Update 2.27.23

By Erik Lytikainen | February 27, 2023

We share the Weekly Gamma Bands Update by Viking Analytics. The report uses options gamma to help you better manage risk and your equity allocations.

The S&P 500 (SPX) closed 109 points lower on the week ending February 24th, and 59 points below the gamma flip level near 4,029. As we move into March, our key technical levels will shift to 4,000 as primary resistance and 3,900 as primary support. Seasonally, late-February to mid-March tends to be weak in equity markets.

Our gamma band model enters the week with a 30% allocation to the SPX. The model will drop to a partial allocation if the market falls and closes below the gamma flip level, currently near 4,029. This model will fall to a 0% allocation if SPX closes below the lower gamma level currently near 3,865.

The chart below shows how price (in black) relates to the gamma flip (in blue) and the lower gamma level (in red).  The indicator below the price chart shows the daily positioning allocations.

, Viking Analytics: Weekly Gamma Band Update 2.27.23

The Gamma Band model[1] can be viewed as a trend following model that is shows the effectiveness of tracking various levels of market gamma. When the daily price closes below Gamma Flip level, the model will reduce exposure to avoid price volatility and sell-off risk. There is also an allocation adjustment whether the trend of gamma flip is positive or negative. If the market closes below what we call the “lower gamma level,” the model will reduce the SPX allocation to zero.

The main premise of this model is to maintain high allocations to stocks when risk and corresponding volatility are expected to be low.  For investors who have been conditioned to “buy low and sell high,” it is counter-intuitive to increase allocations when the market rises, but this approach has shown to increase risk-adjusted returns in the back-test.  

The Gamma Band model is one of several indicators that we publish daily in our SPX Report (click here for a sample report).  The daily Market Navigator Report attempts to summarize signals from the broader market and the economy as a whole. At the moment, we have two bullish signals and two cautious signals. There are reasons to reduce risk exposure at the moment.

, Viking Analytics: Weekly Gamma Band Update 2.27.23 , Viking Analytics: Weekly Gamma Band Update 2.27.23

Please visit our website to learn more about our daily reports.

Disclaimer

This is for informational purposes only and is not trading advice.  The information contained in this article is subject to our full disclaimer on our website.

[1] The Gamma Band model in our SPX Market Report adjusts position size DAILY based upon the daily closing levels of SPX value and calculated Gamma Neutral.  The Weekly Gamma Band model is shown for illustrative purposes only.

Authors

Erik Lytikainen, the founder of Viking Analytics, has over twenty-five years of experience as a financial analyst, entrepreneur, business developer and commodity trader. Erik holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Rob McBride has 15+ years of experience in the systematic investment space and is a former Managing Director at a multi-billion dollar hedge fund. Rob has deep experience with market data, software and model building in financial markets.  Rob has a M.S. in Computer Science from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.




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Erik Lytikainen, the founder of Viking Analytics, has over twenty five years of experience as a financial analyst, entrepreneur business developer and commodity trader. Erik holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech. You can learn more about his work on his website: www.viking-analytics.com.

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