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Finaxion Research · The MACD cross (12/26/9) · single stocks · Recomputed 2026-09-10

Does the MACD cross (12/26/9) work on NDAQ?

The MACD cross (12/26/9) does not beat buy-and-hold on NDAQ: -8.6 points a year over 24 years.

Total return
272.8%
Buy and hold
×25
CAGR
5.6%
Sharpe
0.18
Max drawdown
-79.1%
Trades
455
Out of sample
overfit
Years
24
1×10×200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025
StrategyNDAQ

Findings

  1. The MACD cross (12/26/9) does not beat buy-and-hold on NDAQ: -8.6 points a year over 24 years.
  2. Against the S&P 500 over the same window: -5.3 points a year.
  3. Total return +272.8% versus ×25 for buy-and-hold, with 455 trades.
  4. The result does not hold out of sample: it is overfit.
  5. Maximum drawdown -79.1%.
  6. It beats in neither half of the history (split at 2014).
  7. It ranks #66 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 71812b470df2.

Exactly what was tested

Long while the MACD(12,26) line is above its signal(9); flat when below. Next-close execution.

How to read it

The verdict compares the strategy with buying and holding NDAQ 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 NDAQ → · Full page for The MACD cross (12/26/9) →

How to cite

Finaxion Research (2026). Does the MACD cross (12/26/9) work on NDAQ?. Daily backtest 1962-01-01–2026-08-31, artifact 71812b470df2. https://finaxion.app/en/research/classic-macd/ndaq

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