iMA iSAR EA
This EA uses a combination of the Moving Average (iMA) and Parabolic SAR (iSAR) indicators to generate trend-following trade signals. It enters long positions when the price is above the MA and the SAR is below the candle, and enters short positions when the price is below the MA and the SAR is above the candle. The EA manages positions with configurable lot sizing and stop loss/take profit levels.
Open the interactive view (equity curve, symbol switch)Key facts
Backtest results (H1, about 1 year)
| Symbol | P&L | Annual | Max DD | Trades | Win rate | Sharpe | Recovery | Losing streak | Per trade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | -0.68% | -0.60% | 3.81% | 110 | 47.70% | -0.16 | -0.18 | 4 | −$0.32 | Reliable |
| GBPUSD | +6.46% | +5.59% | 3.89% | 110 | 50.90% | 1.18 | 1.66 | 8 | +$5.87 | Reliable |
| USDJPY | +1.16% | +1.01% | 5.92% | 103 | 48.50% | 0.26 | 0.20 | 6 | +$1.13 | Reliable |
| XAUUSD | +5.76% | +4.73% | 51.23% | 105 | 50.00% | 0.42 | 0.11 | 7 | +$7.92 | Reliable |
Profitable on 3 of 4 markets with reliable results.
Converted from MQL5 to Python and run with the same rules for every EA. Positions use MT5 lot sizes (100,000 units per FX lot, 100 oz per gold lot) with 1:100 leverage, one order at a time, and a stop-out below 10% of the starting balance. Sharpe is computed from the equity curve. Results marked as unreliable are shown for completeness only.
Against the other Trend Following EAs with a reliable result on the same market: EURUSD: better than 49% of 95 · GBPUSD: better than 91% of 95 · USDJPY: better than 65% of 95 · XAUUSD: better than 57% of 96
Month by month
| Market | Months with a gain | Best month | Worst month |
|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | 54% | +2.69% 2026-04 | -1.12% 2026-01 |
| GBPUSD | 62% | +2.67% 2026-04 | -2.56% 2026-10 |
| USDJPY | 54% | +3.06% 2026-04 | -1.94% 2026-03 |
| XAUUSD | 62% | +28.90% 2026-02 | -28.86% 2026-08 |
From the backtest equity curve, sampled about every two days; only reliable results.
Blow-up risk: No blow-up pattern found
None of the usual blow-up patterns were found in the code, and the account was not stopped out in our backtests. That is not a guarantee: any EA can lose money.
High: stopped out in our backtest, or martingale/grid sizing without a stop loss. Elevated: martingale or grid sizing with a stop loss, or several positions at once without a stop loss. What the label means and what we found →
Strategy analysis
The strategy concept is based on dual trend confirmation: the Moving Average determines the overall trend direction while the Parabolic SAR confirms short-term trend reversal points. Entry conditions require both indicators to align - for longs, price must be above the MA and SAR must flip below the candle; for shorts, price must be below the MA and SAR must flip above the candle. Exit conditions rely on SAR reversal signals or pre-configured stop loss and take profit levels. Position sizing uses a fixed lot approach without dynamic adjustment based on account equity or volatility. Money management lacks trailing stops and partial close functionality, relying entirely on static stop loss and take profit for risk control. The overall strategy logic is simple and clear, but it is prone to generating frequent false signals during ranging markets, leading to consecutive losses.
Strengths
- Dual indicator confluence reduces false signals and improves entry quality
- Simple and intuitive strategy logic, easy to understand and debug
- SAR has built-in trailingcharacteristics that adapts stop loss dynamically with trend development
- Highly configurable parameters suitable for optimization across different market conditions
- Performs well in trending markets, capable of capturing extended trend moves
Weaknesses
- SAR frequent reversals in ranging markets generate numerous false signals and consecutive losses
- Fixed lot sizing lacks money management, unable to dynamically adjust positions based on account risk
- No trailing stop functionality, profitable positions may give back substantial profits during retracements
- No new bar check mechanism, potentially opening multiple positions on the same bar
- Lack of spread filter and trading session filter, entries occur even under unfavorable conditions
Possible improvements
- Add ATR or volatility filter to pause trading during low-volatility ranging conditions
- Implement dynamic position sizing based on account risk instead of fixed lots
- Add trailing stop mechanism to lock in floating profits and prevent significant profit givebacks
Risk assessment
Overall risk: Medium
- No new bar check may cause duplicate positions on the same bar
- Fixed lot sizing without money management makes risk uncontrollable with large positions
- Frequent SAR reversals in ranging markets can accumulate consecutive stop losses
Evaluation scores
Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
MA_Period | 20 | Moving average period |
MA_Method | MODE_SMA | Moving average calculation method |
MA_Applied_Price | PRICE_CLOSE | Moving average applied price |
SAR_Step | 0.02 | Parabolic SAR acceleration factor step |
SAR_Maximum | 0.2 | Parabolic SAR acceleration factor maximum |
LotSize | 0.1 | Fixed lot size, used when MMRec is disabled |
StopLoss | 0 | Stop loss in points |
TakeProfit | 0 | Take profit in points |
Timeframe | H1 | Trading timeframe |
Similar Trend Following EAs
Backtests are historical simulations and do not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.