Hard to Argue with 220 Years of Data: The Case for Trend Following
For more than two centuries, investors have relied on a familiar formula: diversify stocks with bonds and stay invested. Rinse and repeat.
Over the long run, this approach has worked — but history shows it has also exposed investors to deep, prolonged drawdowns that can permanently impair wealth and investor behavior.
A comprehensive academic study analyzing more than 220 years of global market data (1800-2021) evaluates which defensive strategies protect portfolios during the worst market environments. The findings are striking: trend following consistently ranks among the most effective and reliable forms of downside protection ever observed, outperforming traditional “safe havens” like gold and option-based hedges.
Hard to Argue with 220 Years of Data: The Case for Trend Following
Category: Systematic Investing
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