FINAXIONResearch
Finaxion Research · ADX: trade only in strong trends · indices and ETFs · Recomputed 2026-09-10

Does ADX: trade only in strong trends work on EEM?

ADX: trade only in strong trends does not beat buy-and-hold on EEM: -9.1 points a year over 23 years.

Total return
23.1%
Buy and hold
830.9%
CAGR
0.9%
Sharpe
-0.12
Max drawdown
-64.9%
Trades
859
Out of sample
overfit
Years
23
1×5.2×200420062008201020122014201620182020202220242026
StrategyEEM

Findings

  1. ADX: trade only in strong trends does not beat buy-and-hold on EEM: -9.1 points a year over 23 years.
  2. Against the S&P 500 over the same window: -10.8 points a year.
  3. Total return +23.1% versus +830.9% for buy-and-hold, with 859 trades.
  4. The result does not hold out of sample: it is overfit.
  5. Maximum drawdown -64.9%.
  6. It beats in neither half of the history (split at 2014).
  7. It ranks #149 of 235 markets for this strategy by annual excess over the S&P 500.

Findings derived from the full panel. Each carries its number and its denominator; the computations are reproducible with artifact 5bea546c394a.

Exactly what was tested

Long while +DI(14) is above −DI(14); flat when −DI overtakes +DI. Next-close execution.

How to read it

The verdict compares the strategy with buying and holding EEM over the same window, with round-trip costs per asset class. “Out of sample” is walk-forward: the rule is fit on one stretch and judged on the next. A result that beats in the full sample but not out of it is overfit. Full methodology in the protocol. How we test.

Open this backtest with its trades   Trades (CSV)

Every strategy on EEM → · Full page for ADX: trade only in strong trends →

How to cite

Finaxion Research (2026). Does ADX: trade only in strong trends work on EEM?. Daily backtest 1962-01-01–2026-08-31, artifact 5bea546c394a. https://finaxion.app/en/research/adx-trend-filter/eem

Not a recommendation. Past performance does not guarantee future results.