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Extending Commissions

Commissions and asociated functionality were managed by a single class CommissionInfo which was mostly instantiated by calling broker.setcommission.

The concept was limited to futures with margin and a fixed commission per contract and stocks with a price/size percentage based commission. Not the most flexible of schemes even if it has served its purpose.

A request for enhancement on GitHub #29 led to some rework in order to:

  • Keep CommissionInfo and broker.setcommission compatible with the original behavior

  • Do some clean up of the code

  • Make the Commission scheme flexible to support the enhancement request and further possibilities

The actual work before getting to the sample

class CommInfoBase(with_metaclass(MetaParams)):
    COMM_PERC, COMM_FIXED = range(2)

    params = (
        ('commission', 0.0), ('mult', 1.0), ('margin', None),
        ('commtype', None),
        ('stocklike', False),
        ('percabs', False),
    )

A base class for CommissionInfo has been introduced which add new parameters to the mix:

  • commtype (default: None)

    This is the key to compatibility. If the value is None, the behavior of the CommissionInfo object and broker.setcommission will work as before. Being that:

    • If margin is set then the commission scheme is for futures with a fixed commission per contract

    • If margin is not set, the commission scheme is for stocks with a percentage based approach

    If the value is COMM_PERC or COMM_FIXED (or any other from derived classes) this obviously decides if the commission if fixed or percent based

  • stocklike (default: False)

    As explained above, the actual behavior in the old CommissionInfo object is determined by the parameter margin

    As above if commtype is set to something else than None, then this value indicates whether the asset is a futures-like asset (margin will be used and bar based cash adjustment will be performed9 or else this a stocks-like asset

  • percabs (default: False)

    If False then the percentage must be passed in relative terms (xx%)

    If True the percentage has to be passed as an absolute value (0.xx)

    CommissionInfo is subclassed from CommInfoBase changing the default value of this parameter to True to keep the compatible behavior

All these parameters can also be used in broker.setcommission which now looks like this:

def setcommission(self,
                  commission=0.0, margin=None, mult=1.0,
                  commtype=None, percabs=True, stocklike=False,
                  name=None):

Notice the following:

  • percabs is True to keep the behavior compatible with the old call as mentioned above for the CommissionInfo object

The old sample to test commissions-schemes has been reworked to support command line arguments and the new behavior. The usage help:

$ ./commission-schemes.py --help
usage: commission-schemes.py [-h] [--data DATA] [--fromdate FROMDATE]
                             [--todate TODATE] [--stake STAKE]
                             [--period PERIOD] [--cash CASH] [--comm COMM]
                             [--mult MULT] [--margin MARGIN]
                             [--commtype {none,perc,fixed}] [--stocklike]
                             [--percrel] [--plot] [--numfigs NUMFIGS]

Commission schemes

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --data DATA, -d DATA  data to add to the system (default:
                        ../../datas/2006-day-001.txt)
  --fromdate FROMDATE, -f FROMDATE
                        Starting date in YYYY-MM-DD format (default:
                        2006-01-01)
  --todate TODATE, -t TODATE
                        Starting date in YYYY-MM-DD format (default:
                        2006-12-31)
  --stake STAKE         Stake to apply in each operation (default: 1)
  --period PERIOD       Period to apply to the Simple Moving Average (default:
                        30)
  --cash CASH           Starting Cash (default: 10000.0)
  --comm COMM           Commission factor for operation, either apercentage or
                        a per stake unit absolute value (default: 2.0)
  --mult MULT           Multiplier for operations calculation (default: 10)
  --margin MARGIN       Margin for futures-like operations (default: 2000.0)
  --commtype {none,perc,fixed}
                        Commission - choose none for the old CommissionInfo
                        behavior (default: none)
  --stocklike           If the operation is for stock-like assets orfuture-
                        like assets (default: False)
  --percrel             If perc is expressed in relative xx{'const': True,
                        'help': u'If perc is expressed in relative xx%
                        ratherthan absolute value 0.xx', 'option_strings': [u'
                        --percrel'], 'dest': u'percrel', 'required': False,
                        'nargs': 0, 'choices': None, 'default': False, 'prog':
                        'commission-schemes.py', 'container':
                        <argparse._ArgumentGroup object at
                        0x0000000007EC9828>, 'type': None, 'metavar':
                        None}atherthan absolute value 0.xx (default: False)
  --plot, -p            Plot the read data (default: False)
  --numfigs NUMFIGS, -n NUMFIGS
                        Plot using numfigs figures (default: 1)

Let’s do some runs to recreate the original behavior of the original commission schemes posts.

Commissions for futures (fixed and with margin)

The execution and chart:

$ ./commission-schemes.py --comm 2.0 --margin 2000.0 --mult 10 --plot

image

And the output showing a fixed commission of 2.0 monetary units (default stake is 1):

2006-03-09, BUY CREATE, 3757.59
2006-03-10, BUY EXECUTED, Price: 3754.13, Cost: 2000.00, Comm 2.00
2006-04-11, SELL CREATE, 3788.81
2006-04-12, SELL EXECUTED, Price: 3786.93, Cost: 2000.00, Comm 2.00
2006-04-12, TRADE PROFIT, GROSS 328.00, NET 324.00
...

Commissions for stocks (perc and withoout margin)

The execution and chart:

$ ./commission-schemes.py --comm 0.005 --margin 0 --mult 1 --plot

image

To improve readability a relative % value can be used:

$ ./commission-schemes.py --percrel --comm 0.5 --margin 0 --mult 1 --plot

Now 0.5 means directly 0.5%

Being the output in both cases:

2006-03-09, BUY CREATE, 3757.59
2006-03-10, BUY EXECUTED, Price: 3754.13, Cost: 3754.13, Comm 18.77
2006-04-11, SELL CREATE, 3788.81
2006-04-12, SELL EXECUTED, Price: 3786.93, Cost: 3754.13, Comm 18.93
2006-04-12, TRADE PROFIT, GROSS 32.80, NET -4.91
...

Commissions for futures (perc and with margin)

Using the new parameters, futures on a perc based scheme:

$ ./commission-schemes.py --commtype perc --percrel --comm 0.5 --margin 2000 --mult 10 --plot

image

It should come to no surprise that by changing the commission … the final result has changed

The output shows that the commission is variable now:

2006-03-09, BUY CREATE, 3757.59
2006-03-10, BUY EXECUTED, Price: 3754.13, Cost: 2000.00, Comm 18.77
2006-04-11, SELL CREATE, 3788.81
2006-04-12, SELL EXECUTED, Price: 3786.93, Cost: 2000.00, Comm 18.93
2006-04-12, TRADE PROFIT, GROSS 328.00, NET 290.29
...

Being in the previous run set a 2.0 monetary units (for the default stake of 1)

Another post will details the new classes and the implementation of a homme cooked commission scheme.

The code for the sample

from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function,
                        unicode_literals)

import argparse
import datetime

import backtrader as bt
import backtrader.feeds as btfeeds
import backtrader.indicators as btind


class SMACrossOver(bt.Strategy):
    params = (
        ('stake', 1),
        ('period', 30),
    )

    def log(self, txt, dt=None):
        ''' Logging function fot this strategy'''
        dt = dt or self.datas[0].datetime.date(0)
        print('%s, %s' % (dt.isoformat(), txt))

    def notify_order(self, order):
        if order.status in [order.Submitted, order.Accepted]:
            # Buy/Sell order submitted/accepted to/by broker - Nothing to do
            return

        # Check if an order has been completed
        # Attention: broker could reject order if not enougth cash
        if order.status in [order.Completed, order.Canceled, order.Margin]:
            if order.isbuy():
                self.log(
                    'BUY EXECUTED, Price: %.2f, Cost: %.2f, Comm %.2f' %
                    (order.executed.price,
                     order.executed.value,
                     order.executed.comm))
            else:  # Sell
                self.log('SELL EXECUTED, Price: %.2f, Cost: %.2f, Comm %.2f' %
                         (order.executed.price,
                          order.executed.value,
                          order.executed.comm))

    def notify_trade(self, trade):
        if trade.isclosed:
            self.log('TRADE PROFIT, GROSS %.2f, NET %.2f' %
                     (trade.pnl, trade.pnlcomm))

    def __init__(self):
        sma = btind.SMA(self.data, period=self.p.period)
        # > 0 crossing up / < 0 crossing down
        self.buysell_sig = btind.CrossOver(self.data, sma)

    def next(self):
        if self.buysell_sig > 0:
            self.log('BUY CREATE, %.2f' % self.data.close[0])
            self.buy(size=self.p.stake)  # keep order ref to avoid 2nd orders

        elif self.position and self.buysell_sig < 0:
            self.log('SELL CREATE, %.2f' % self.data.close[0])
            self.sell(size=self.p.stake)


def runstrategy():
    args = parse_args()

    # Create a cerebro
    cerebro = bt.Cerebro()

    # Get the dates from the args
    fromdate = datetime.datetime.strptime(args.fromdate, '%Y-%m-%d')
    todate = datetime.datetime.strptime(args.todate, '%Y-%m-%d')

    # Create the 1st data
    data = btfeeds.BacktraderCSVData(
        dataname=args.data,
        fromdate=fromdate,
        todate=todate)

    # Add the 1st data to cerebro
    cerebro.adddata(data)

    # Add a strategy
    cerebro.addstrategy(SMACrossOver, period=args.period, stake=args.stake)

    # Add the commission - only stocks like a for each operation
    cerebro.broker.setcash(args.cash)

    commtypes = dict(
        none=None,
        perc=bt.CommInfoBase.COMM_PERC,
        fixed=bt.CommInfoBase.COMM_FIXED)

    # Add the commission - only stocks like a for each operation
    cerebro.broker.setcommission(commission=args.comm,
                                 mult=args.mult,
                                 margin=args.margin,
                                 percabs=not args.percrel,
                                 commtype=commtypes[args.commtype],
                                 stocklike=args.stocklike)

    # And run it
    cerebro.run()

    # Plot if requested
    if args.plot:
        cerebro.plot(numfigs=args.numfigs, volume=False)


def parse_args():
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
        description='Commission schemes',
        formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter,)

    parser.add_argument('--data', '-d',
                        default='../../datas/2006-day-001.txt',
                        help='data to add to the system')

    parser.add_argument('--fromdate', '-f',
                        default='2006-01-01',
                        help='Starting date in YYYY-MM-DD format')

    parser.add_argument('--todate', '-t',
                        default='2006-12-31',
                        help='Starting date in YYYY-MM-DD format')

    parser.add_argument('--stake', default=1, type=int,
                        help='Stake to apply in each operation')

    parser.add_argument('--period', default=30, type=int,
                        help='Period to apply to the Simple Moving Average')

    parser.add_argument('--cash', default=10000.0, type=float,
                        help='Starting Cash')

    parser.add_argument('--comm', default=2.0, type=float,
                        help=('Commission factor for operation, either a'
                              'percentage or a per stake unit absolute value'))

    parser.add_argument('--mult', default=10, type=int,
                        help='Multiplier for operations calculation')

    parser.add_argument('--margin', default=2000.0, type=float,
                        help='Margin for futures-like operations')

    parser.add_argument('--commtype', required=False, default='none',
                        choices=['none', 'perc', 'fixed'],
                        help=('Commission - choose none for the old'
                              ' CommissionInfo behavior'))

    parser.add_argument('--stocklike', required=False, action='store_true',
                        help=('If the operation is for stock-like assets or'
                              'future-like assets'))

    parser.add_argument('--percrel', required=False, action='store_true',
                        help=('If perc is expressed in relative xx% rather'
                              'than absolute value 0.xx'))

    parser.add_argument('--plot', '-p', action='store_true',
                        help='Plot the read data')

    parser.add_argument('--numfigs', '-n', default=1,
                        help='Plot using numfigs figures')

    return parser.parse_args()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    runstrategy()