3G·

Trend Follower: The 30-Day Rule in My Retirement Portfolio

The stock market doesn’t have to be stressful. When it comes to my retirement savings, I set up a vested benefits account a few years ago. Since Swiss pension funds, unfortunately, cannot be displayed in real time on Getquin, I can’t track them here. But this account combines a sense of calm with clear momentum.


1. The Foundation: 70% Fixed Pension Funds (equity, gold, and commodity funds)


At the core of my modest portfolio lies absolute stability: 70% of my capital is consistently invested in solid, broadly diversified pension funds. This foundation is solidly diversified and includes not only global equity funds but also gold and commodity funds. There’s no market timing or shuffling around here. This portion simply works for me over the long term, absorbs fluctuations thanks to the mix of tangible assets, and remains unfazed even by turbulent market phases.


2. The “Turbo”: 30% in the Nasdaq 100 according to the 30-day rule


For the remaining 30% , I follow a very clear, rule-based approach with the high-growth $CSNDX (+2,34%) . There’s no middle ground here and no room for gut feelings: Either I’m fully invested, or I pull the plug.

The logic behind this is simple: I compare the daily closing price of the Nasdaq 100 with its moving average over the last 30 trading days (30-day MA).


  • Is the market trending? If the index is trading above its 30-day line, the money remains comfortably invested.
  • Is the market crashing? If the index falls below it, the trend is considered broken.



3. The Exact Mechanics: Exit Immediately, but Re-enter with a Buffer


To avoid being constantly tossed back and forth by false signals during choppy sideways phases, a clear discipline applies:


  • Exit: If the Nasdaq 100 closes below the 30-day moving average, the position is is immediately closed out and is parked as cash in the portfolio.
  • Re-entry: I won’t re-enter until the market has proven its strength in black and white—specifically, when the price rises on two consecutive trading days .



4. Where do we stand right now?


This very system struck again at the turn of the month: On Friday, October 30, 2026, the Nasdaq 100 closed below its 30-day moving average. The result was an immediate exit—since then, this flexible portion of the portfolio has been safely held in cash.


So that I don’t have to pore over spreadsheets every day, I have Gemini :

  • Nasdaq 100 closing price: 26,629.81 points
  • 30-day moving average: 29,284.50 points
  • Current deviation:
    -9.07%


With a current gap of just under 9% from the 30-day moving average, it will take a few more weeks or months before the tech market recovers enough to break through this resistance level for two consecutive days. Until then, time is on my side when it comes to cash.


Conclusion & Outlook: Perhaps this approach is a viable option for others who’d like to invest in the Nasdaq 100 but are wary of its extreme volatility. Yes, by applying this filter after a significant correction or crash, you might miss out on the very first percentage points of the initial recovery. But in return, the system offers phenomenal protection in bear markets like 2022: While the classic buy-and-hold approach to the Nasdaq 100 resulted in a brutally painful loss of -33.0% , the disciplined 30-day rule caught the crash at around -11 to -14% . That’s exactly what ensures you sleep much more soundly at night and keep your cool in the long run.


$LT6FT1
$H5Y41V
$PHPVWM
$MC5T9M
$W9JZ4Z

$CSNDX (+2,34%)

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3 Commenti

immagine del profilo
SMA1M + daily signal might have worked this time. In the long run, whipsawing will eat you up. That is, half the CAGR of the QQQ minus trading costs minus taxes.

Do a proper backtest and think it over again.
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immagine del profilo
@Epi I don't have any trading fees or taxes on my vested benefits account. Over the past two years, I've had to transfer funds from it twice each year—this past April and earlier this week.
But I see what you mean.
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immagine del profilo
P.S.: I'm actually thinking about trying this out with Bitcoin ETPs.
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