Does the golden cross work on GLD?

Buy when the 50-day average crosses above the 200-day (the “golden cross”) and sell on the “death cross” back below it.

Every rule on GLD, ranked

the last 9.2 years · 2,312 trading days · $116.52 → $394.15

How to read this

One asset over one window is a single data point, not a law. A rule that comes out ahead on GLD may trail holding on the next ticker you try — which is exactly why the free tester exists: change the asset and see whether the edge survives. When it evaporates on a different market, it was fitted to this one.

Note the drawdown column as much as the return. Most timing rules earn less than holding but fall less in a crash, and whether that trade is worth it depends entirely on whether you would actually have held through the worst of it.

Method

All strategies are measured from the same starting bar so the comparison is like-for-like. Signals are read from the previous close and the next day's return is applied — no lookahead. Prices are dividend-adjusted so buy-and-hold is not handicapped. 0.05% cost per switch. No leverage, no shorting.

Test the same rule on something else