Now that the new screener is up and running, and people are exploring the performance of their favorite screens, I want to pass along a hint or two about developing screens that test well.   There will likely be a follow up post, or two, to this one so if anyone wants to comment or otherwise share some of their expertise please do so.

First and foremost, focus on the group of funds you start with.  Most of us want to begin with all funds and let our filter rules and our sorting rules determine the best from the rest.  That’s asking a lot from our simple rules, especially if we include a number of overlapping, highly correlated, funds.   So the first suggestion is to narrow your list down to the basics and let each fund represent it’s sector of the market solely.   Continue reading →

The past few months we have been working on a new ETF Screening module to replace our current Screener.  We have put this new module through many structured tests but it needs some real world usage, so we are inviting you to try it out here.  After some testing (and I’m sure a few changes) this module will replace our existing Screener page.

The user interface will be familiar to you, but there are a few significant changes.  First is the ability to screen from a portfolio, or other predefined group of funds.  As the fund universe has grown with many overlapping funds,  and brokerage firms have offered commission free trades on select funds, it has become more important than ever to do some initial screening of the fund universe.  By beginning your screening process with a portfolio of funds, you are in control from the first step forward. Continue reading →