Lagged Momentum Rotation Strategy in US REITs

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Edit and run Quant Buffet Python for Lagged Momentum Rotation Strategy in US REITs in the browser. Results update live with equity, drawdown, and metrics charts. Allowed: backtest.data, backtest.engine, backtest.metrics, numpy, pandas. Define ASSETS and make_on_day(prices). Shortcut: Ctrl+Enter. API docs →

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IDE · 36 lines
Quant Buffet syntax cheat sheet (copy / insert)

Paste these fragments into the editor. The sandbox rejects QuantConnect, os, and network libraries.

Required imports
Only these libraries are allowed in the sandbox.
from __future__ import annotations

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

from backtest.data import load_daily_prices
from backtest.engine import EngineConfig, PortfolioEngine
from backtest.metrics import compute_metrics
ASSETS list (whitelisted ETFs)
Module-level list. Tickers must be in the Quant Buffet whitelist.
ASSETS = ["SPY", "QQQ", "TLT", "GLD", "BIL"]
make_on_day contract
Must return (on_day, ready). on_day calls engine.set_target_weights.
def make_on_day(prices: pd.DataFrame):
    cols = [c for c in ASSETS if c in prices.columns]
    sma = prices[cols].rolling(200, min_periods=200).mean()
    state = {"last": None}

    def on_day(engine: PortfolioEngine, dt: pd.Timestamp) -> None:
        if sma.loc[dt].isna().all():
            return
        key = (dt.year, dt.month)
        if state["last"] == key:
            return
        state["last"] = key
        long = [
            s for s in cols
            if pd.notna(prices.at[dt, s]) and pd.notna(sma.at[dt, s])
            and prices.at[dt, s] > sma.at[dt, s]
        ]
        weights = {} if not long else {s: 1.0 / len(long) for s in long}
        engine.set_target_weights(dt, weights)

    ready = sma.dropna(how="all").index.min() if sma.notna().any().any() else None
    return on_day, ready
Set target weights
Weights should sum to about 1.0. Empty dict = 100% cash.
engine.set_target_weights(dt, {"SPY": 0.60, "BIL": 0.40})

Live backtest performance

CAGR
6.00%
Sharpe
0.63
Max DD
-18.15%
Vol
10.11%
Sortino
0.93
Beta
0.35
Up days
66%

Run the backtest to populate charts.

Export to your platform

Transform Quant Buffet lab code (ASSETS + make_on_day / PortfolioEngine) into native classes for a third-party IDE — then copy and paste.

Run in: QuantConnect Cloud or LEAN CLI · QCAlgorithm with Equity securities and monthly rebalance.

Detected pattern: Absolute momentumAssets: SPY, TLT, GLD, BIL
# Generated from Quant Buffet → QuantConnect LEAN
# Strategy: Lagged Momentum Rotation Strategy in US REITs
# Detected pattern: Absolute momentum
# Source uses Quant Buffet lab APIs (ASSETS + make_on_day / PortfolioEngine).
# Review fees, data, and risk before live trading — educational export only.

from AlgorithmImports import *


class QuantBuffetExport(QCAlgorithm):
    def Initialize(self):
        self.SetStartDate(2010, 1, 1)
        self.SetCash(100000)
        tickers = ["SPY", "TLT", "GLD", "BIL"]
        self.symbols = []
        for t in tickers:
            if "-" in t:  # crypto proxy e.g. BTC-USD
                self.symbols.append(self.AddCrypto(t.replace("-USD", ""), Resolution.Daily).Symbol)
            else:
                self.symbols.append(self.AddEquity(t, Resolution.Daily).Symbol)
        self.Schedule.On(
            self.DateRules.MonthStart(self.symbols[0]),
            self.TimeRules.AfterMarketOpen(self.symbols[0], 30),
            self.Rebalance,
        )
        # Logic: Long assets with positive 252-day return; equal-weight; monthly.

    def Rebalance(self):
        # Pattern: abs_momentum — Long assets with positive 252-day return; equal-weight; monthly.
        # Default: equal-weight. Port your make_on_day weights here via SetHoldings.
        w = 1.0 / len(self.symbols) if self.symbols else 0.0
        for symbol in self.symbols:
            self.SetHoldings(symbol, w)

Exported code uses the platform’s native classes and libraries. Install dependencies in your third-party IDE, then run. Validate before live trading.

Academic paper

REIT Momentum and the Performance of Real Estate Mutual Funds

AuthorsJeroen Derwall; Joop Huij; Dirk Brounen; Wessel Marquering

Institute
  • NLMaastricht University
  • NLUtrecht University
  • ?Maastricht University - Department of Finance
  • ?Maastricht University - European Centre for Corporate Engagement
  • ?Utrecht University - School of Economics
  • NLErasmus University Rotterdam
  • ?Erasmus University - Rotterdam School of Management
  • ?Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)
  • ?Robeco
  • NLTinbergen Institute
  • ?Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)
  • ?Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Financial Management

Screenshot from the original paper

Screenshot from the original paper

Strategy in a nutshell

The investment universe consists of all US REITs listed on markets. Every month, the investor ranks all available REITs by their past 11-month return one-month lagged and groups them into equally weighted tercile portfolios. He/she then goes long on the best performing tercile for three months. One-third of the portfolio is rebalanced this way monthly, and REITs are equally weighted.

This is not the only way to capture the momentum factor in REITs as a consequential portfolio could be formed as a long/short or from quartiles/quintiles/deciles instead of terciles or based on different formation and holding periods (additional types of this strategy are stated in the “Other papers” section).

Economic rationale

Momentum persistence is usually explained by behavioral biases like investor herding, investor over and underreaction, and confirmation bias. For example, if a firm/trust releases good news and the stock price only reacts partially to the good news (under-reaction bias), then buying the stock/trust after the initial release of the news will generate profits.

Backtest performance

Annualised return6.00%
Volatility10.11%
Beta0.35
Sharpe ratio0.63
Sortino ratio0.93
Maximum drawdown-18.15%
Win rate66%