Strategy library · Trend and breakouts

Heikin Ashi color flip backtest on NQ and ES futures

Heikin Ashi color flip

Also called: Heikin Ashi strategy, Heikin Ashi candle strategy, Heikin Ashi trend flip, buy when the first green Heikin Ashi candle follows a red one, short when the first red Heikin Ashi candle follows a green one

What happens if you buy NQ every time the first green Heikin Ashi candle follows a red one?

What it is

Heikin Ashi candles are smoothed candles built from averaged open, high, low and close values. This strategy goes long after the first green Heikin Ashi candle following a red one, short on the mirror, and exits on the opposite flip.

What it did

On NQ futures from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 3,063 trades on the 15-minute chart, won 37.5% of them and finished -2,928.50 points (-$58,570 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage. From 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 on NQ, the 1,523 long trades on the 15-minute chart won 39.9% and made -138.75 points (-$2,775 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage. On ES futures from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 3,026 trades on the 15-minute chart, won 37.1% of them and finished 65.50 points ($3,275 on one ES contract), before commission and slippage. The 5-minute, 1-hour and daily results for both markets are in the table on this page.

How it was tested

CE Market Solutions tested the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy on NQ (2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07) and ES (2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27) futures, before commission and slippage, with each signal filled at the next bar's open, intraday positions flat at 15:59 ET and textbook default indicator settings; the NQ trades are listed on this page and the ES trades under the ES tab.

See it tested with one change · $19

Tested by CE Market Solutions on 2026-10-26. The trades are listed below, one market at a time. Gross, no commission or slippage. Last 2 years.

Results

Rule as tested: Long after the first green Heikin Ashi candle following a red one; short on the mirror. Exit: Opposite flip.

TimeframeNQ · 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07ES · 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27
TradesWin %Avg ptsProfit factorNet ptsNet $ (1 NQ)Max DD ptsTradesWin %Avg ptsProfit factorNet ptsNet $ (1 ES)Max DD pts
5 minute923235.7%−0.080.995−763.75−$15,2756,092.00901235.3%0.051.018495.50$24,775756.25
5 minute · longs only461637.5%——594.75$11,8952,505.25449636.9%——544.00$27,200488.50
5 minute · shorts only461633.8%——−1,358.50−$27,1704,351.25451633.7%——−48.50−$2,425693.00
15 minute306337.5%−0.960.962−2,928.50−$58,5704,594.75302637.1%0.021.00465.50$3,275935.00
15 minute · longs only152339.9%——−138.75−$2,7752,431.00150238.6%——−1.25−$62473.50
15 minute · shorts only154035.1%——−2,789.75−$55,7954,168.50152435.7%——66.75$3,338688.00
1 hour67744.9%1.041.024703.00$14,0603,006.0074241.1%−0.530.944−390.25−$19,512784.75
1 hour · longs only34246.5%——213.00$4,2602,515.2536943.4%——−231.50−$11,575422.75
1 hour · shorts only33543.3%——490.00$9,8001,749.7537338.9%——−158.75−$7,937743.50
Daily12033.3%−48.250.776−5,789.50−$115,7909,861.5011840.7%2.301.068271.50$13,5751,080.50
Daily · longs only6041.7%——1,618.75$32,3754,505.755949.2%——974.00$48,700680.75
Daily · shorts only6025.0%——−7,408.25−$148,1658,961.755932.2%——−702.50−$35,1251,224.50

Free to use with credit to CE Market Solutions (CC BY 4.0).

ES daily: the equity line

Heikin Ashi color flip, ES daily, 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27. Cumulative points after each trade; low −290.50, high 790.00, last 271.50.

Long and short

SideTradesNet pts
Long59974.00
Short59−702.50

By month

MonthTradesNet pts
2024-081−75.75
2024-093168.75
2024-104−14.50
2024-114236.25
2024-127−18.00
2025-015−66.50
2025-027358.75
2025-034103.50
2025-043−96.00
2025-054−35.25
2025-066−57.75
2025-077120.50
2025-083108.75
2025-096−67.75
2025-104−161.00
2025-11483.75
2025-125−73.25
2026-01681.00
2026-025−431.00
2026-039−455.00
2026-042482.00
2026-053196.75
2026-06659.50
2026-077−447.25
2026-083271.00
Every trade, ES daily118 trades

Daily results show the table and the equity line; there is no chart viewer for them yet.

All trades (118), newest first

Times are New York time; points are gross.

Session dateSideEntry (ET)Entry priceExit (ET)Exit priceExit reasonPoints
2026-08-27long2026-08-26 18:007722.002026-08-27 16:597733.00window end11.00
2026-08-18short2026-08-17 18:007766.002026-08-26 18:007722.00opposite flip44.00
2026-08-03long2026-08-02 18:007550.002026-08-17 18:007766.00opposite flip216.00
2026-07-24short2026-07-23 18:007450.502026-08-02 18:007550.00opposite flip−99.50
2026-07-23long2026-07-22 18:007530.252026-07-23 18:007450.50opposite flip−79.75
2026-07-20short2026-07-19 18:007485.002026-07-22 18:007530.25opposite flip−45.25
2026-07-16long2026-07-15 18:007615.002026-07-19 18:007485.00opposite flip−130.00
2026-07-15short2026-07-14 18:007589.752026-07-15 18:007615.00opposite flip−25.25
2026-07-10long2026-07-09 18:007587.252026-07-14 18:007589.75opposite flip2.50
2026-07-09short2026-07-08 18:007517.252026-07-09 18:007587.25opposite flip−70.00
2026-06-30long2026-06-29 18:007495.502026-07-08 18:007517.25opposite flip21.75
2026-06-23short2026-06-22 18:007541.252026-06-29 18:007495.50opposite flip45.75
2026-06-22long2026-06-21 18:007543.252026-06-22 18:007541.25opposite flip−2.00
2026-06-18short2026-06-17 18:007512.502026-06-21 18:007543.25opposite flip−30.75
2026-06-15long2026-06-14 18:007480.002026-06-17 18:007512.50opposite flip−35.00
2026-06-04short2026-06-03 18:007539.752026-06-14 18:007480.00opposite flip59.75
2026-05-22long2026-05-21 18:007467.002026-06-03 18:007539.75opposite flip72.75
2026-05-19short2026-05-18 18:007423.502026-05-21 18:007467.00opposite flip−43.50
2026-05-01long2026-04-30 18:007256.002026-05-18 18:007423.50opposite flip167.50
2026-04-30short2026-04-29 18:007150.002026-04-30 18:007256.00opposite flip−106.00
2026-04-01long2026-03-31 18:006562.002026-04-29 18:007150.00opposite flip588.00
2026-03-27short2026-03-26 18:006536.002026-03-31 18:006562.00opposite flip−26.00
2026-03-25long2026-03-24 18:006646.502026-03-26 18:006536.00opposite flip−110.50
2026-03-19short2026-03-18 18:006673.002026-03-24 18:006646.50opposite flip26.50
2026-03-18long2026-03-17 18:006774.002026-03-18 18:006673.00opposite flip−101.00
2026-03-12short2026-03-11 18:006766.002026-03-17 18:006774.00opposite flip44.50
2026-03-11long2026-03-10 18:006796.752026-03-11 18:006766.00opposite flip−30.75
2026-03-09short2026-03-08 18:006685.502026-03-10 18:006796.75opposite flip−111.25
2026-03-06long2026-03-05 18:006826.002026-03-08 18:006685.50opposite flip−140.50
2026-03-02short2026-03-01 18:006820.002026-03-05 18:006826.00opposite flip−6.00
2026-02-26long2026-02-25 18:006965.002026-03-01 18:006820.00opposite flip−145.00
2026-02-24short2026-02-23 18:006858.252026-02-25 18:006965.00opposite flip−106.75
2026-02-19long2026-02-18 18:006891.752026-02-23 18:006858.25opposite flip−33.50
2026-02-13short2026-02-12 18:006865.502026-02-18 18:006891.75opposite flip−26.25
2026-02-10long2026-02-09 18:006985.002026-02-12 18:006865.50opposite flip−119.50
2026-01-30short2026-01-29 18:006992.752026-02-09 18:006985.00opposite flip7.75
2026-01-23long2026-01-22 18:006938.002026-01-29 18:006992.75opposite flip54.75
2026-01-20short2026-01-19 18:006913.502026-01-22 18:006938.00opposite flip−24.50
2026-01-19long2026-01-18 18:006918.252026-01-19 18:006913.50opposite flip−4.75
2026-01-15short2026-01-14 18:006955.752026-01-18 18:006918.25opposite flip37.50
2026-01-06long2026-01-05 18:006945.502026-01-14 18:006955.75opposite flip10.25
2025-12-31short2025-12-30 18:006945.502026-01-05 18:006945.50opposite flip0.00
2025-12-22long2025-12-21 18:006906.252025-12-30 18:006945.50opposite flip39.25
2025-12-15short2025-12-14 18:006831.002025-12-21 18:006906.25opposite flip−16.75
2025-12-11long2025-12-10 18:006887.002025-12-14 18:006831.00opposite flip−56.00
2025-12-10short2025-12-09 18:006847.252025-12-10 18:006887.00opposite flip−39.75
2025-11-25long2025-11-24 18:006726.252025-12-09 18:006847.25opposite flip121.00
2025-11-14short2025-11-13 18:006762.752025-11-24 18:006726.25opposite flip36.50
2025-11-11long2025-11-10 18:006857.252025-11-13 18:006762.75opposite flip−94.50
2025-11-03short2025-11-02 18:006878.002025-11-10 18:006857.25opposite flip20.75
2025-10-21long2025-10-20 18:006779.502025-11-02 18:006878.00opposite flip98.50
2025-10-17short2025-10-16 18:006659.252025-10-20 18:006779.50opposite flip−120.25
2025-10-16long2025-10-15 18:006715.252025-10-16 18:006659.25opposite flip−56.00
2025-10-13short2025-10-12 18:006632.002025-10-15 18:006715.25opposite flip−83.25
2025-09-30long2025-09-29 18:006708.002025-10-12 18:006632.00opposite flip−76.00
2025-09-25short2025-09-24 18:006697.252025-09-29 18:006708.00opposite flip−10.75
2025-09-19long2025-09-18 18:006700.002025-09-24 18:006697.25opposite flip−2.75
2025-09-18short2025-09-17 18:006664.502025-09-18 18:006700.00opposite flip−35.50
2025-09-05long2025-09-04 18:006515.752025-09-17 18:006664.50opposite flip92.25
2025-09-02short2025-09-01 18:006480.752025-09-04 18:006515.75opposite flip−35.00
2025-08-25long2025-08-24 18:006493.002025-09-01 18:006480.75opposite flip−12.25
2025-08-19short2025-08-18 18:006468.502025-08-24 18:006493.00opposite flip−24.50
2025-08-06long2025-08-05 18:006323.002025-08-18 18:006468.50opposite flip145.50
2025-07-30short2025-07-29 18:006404.002025-08-05 18:006323.00opposite flip81.00
2025-07-18long2025-07-17 18:006342.502025-07-29 18:006404.00opposite flip61.50
2025-07-17short2025-07-16 18:006299.252025-07-17 18:006342.50opposite flip−43.25
2025-07-16long2025-07-15 18:006273.752025-07-16 18:006299.25opposite flip25.50
2025-07-15short2025-07-14 18:006309.502025-07-15 18:006273.75opposite flip35.75
2025-07-10long2025-07-09 18:006306.002025-07-14 18:006309.50opposite flip3.50
2025-07-08short2025-07-07 18:006262.502025-07-09 18:006306.00opposite flip−43.50
2025-06-25long2025-06-24 18:006144.752025-07-07 18:006262.50opposite flip117.75
2025-06-19short2025-06-18 18:006038.252025-06-24 18:006144.75opposite flip−106.50
2025-06-18long2025-06-17 18:006030.752025-06-18 18:006038.25opposite flip7.50
2025-06-16short2025-06-15 18:005949.002025-06-17 18:006030.75opposite flip−26.25
2025-06-03long2025-06-02 18:005949.002025-06-15 18:005949.00opposite flip0.00
2025-06-02short2025-06-01 18:005898.752025-06-02 18:005949.00opposite flip−50.25
2025-05-28long2025-05-27 18:005940.752025-06-01 18:005898.75opposite flip−42.00
2025-05-22short2025-05-21 18:005858.002025-05-27 18:005940.75opposite flip−82.75
2025-05-09long2025-05-08 18:005688.502025-05-21 18:005858.00opposite flip169.50
2025-05-07short2025-05-06 18:005608.502025-05-08 18:005688.50opposite flip−80.00
2025-04-24long2025-04-23 18:005409.002025-05-06 18:005608.50opposite flip199.50
2025-04-17short2025-04-16 18:005308.002025-04-23 18:005409.00opposite flip−101.00
2025-04-10long2025-04-09 18:005502.502025-04-16 18:005308.00opposite flip−194.50
2025-03-28short2025-03-27 18:005741.752025-04-09 18:005502.50opposite flip239.25
2025-03-25long2025-03-24 18:005813.002025-03-27 18:005741.75opposite flip−71.25
2025-03-24short2025-03-23 18:005740.002025-03-24 18:005813.00opposite flip−73.00
2025-03-18long2025-03-17 18:005731.502025-03-23 18:005740.00opposite flip8.50
2025-02-21short2025-02-20 18:006132.502025-03-17 16:595680.25opposite flip452.25
2025-02-14long2025-02-13 18:006131.752025-02-20 18:006132.50opposite flip0.75
2025-02-13short2025-02-12 18:006079.752025-02-13 18:006131.75opposite flip−52.00
2025-02-12long2025-02-11 18:006090.752025-02-12 18:006079.75opposite flip−11.00
2025-02-11short2025-02-10 18:006085.502025-02-11 18:006090.75opposite flip−5.25
2025-02-06long2025-02-05 18:006090.252025-02-10 18:006085.50opposite flip−4.75
2025-02-04short2025-02-03 18:006069.002025-02-05 18:006090.25opposite flip−21.25
2025-01-30long2025-01-29 18:006068.502025-02-03 18:006069.00opposite flip0.50
2025-01-28short2025-01-27 18:006059.502025-01-29 18:006068.50opposite flip−9.00
2025-01-16long2025-01-15 18:005988.502025-01-27 18:006059.50opposite flip71.00
2025-01-10short2025-01-09 18:005943.752025-01-15 18:005988.50opposite flip−44.75
2025-01-07long2025-01-06 18:006028.002025-01-09 18:005943.75opposite flip−84.25
2024-12-30short2024-12-29 18:006028.752025-01-06 18:006028.00opposite flip0.75
2024-12-24long2024-12-23 18:006037.752024-12-29 18:006028.75opposite flip−9.00
2024-12-18short2024-12-17 18:006126.752024-12-23 18:006037.75opposite flip89.00
2024-12-17long2024-12-16 18:006150.252024-12-17 18:006126.75opposite flip−23.50
2024-12-16short2024-12-15 18:006055.502024-12-16 16:596076.50opposite flip−21.00
2024-12-12long2024-12-11 18:006087.502024-12-15 18:006055.50opposite flip−32.00
2024-12-10short2024-12-09 18:006065.252024-12-11 18:006087.50opposite flip−22.25
2024-11-21long2024-11-20 18:005937.252024-12-09 18:006065.25opposite flip128.00
2024-11-15short2024-11-14 18:005972.002024-11-20 18:005937.25opposite flip34.75
2024-11-06long2024-11-05 18:005820.252024-11-14 18:005972.00opposite flip151.75
2024-11-01short2024-10-31 18:005742.002024-11-05 18:005820.25opposite flip−78.25
2024-10-29long2024-10-28 18:005867.002024-10-31 18:005742.00opposite flip−125.00
2024-10-23short2024-10-22 18:005887.252024-10-28 18:005867.00opposite flip20.25
2024-10-07long2024-10-06 18:005802.002024-10-22 18:005887.25opposite flip85.25
2024-10-01short2024-09-30 18:005807.002024-10-06 18:005802.00opposite flip5.00
2024-09-11long2024-09-10 18:005499.252024-09-30 18:005807.00opposite flip247.25
2024-09-04short2024-09-03 18:005538.502024-09-10 18:005499.25opposite flip39.25
2024-09-02long2024-09-01 18:005656.252024-09-03 18:005538.50opposite flip−117.75
2024-08-29short2024-08-28 18:005580.502024-09-01 18:005656.25opposite flip−75.75

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Questions and answers

What happens if you buy NQ every time the first green Heikin Ashi candle follows a red one?

From 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 on the NQ 15-minute chart, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 1,523 long trades, won 39.9% of them and made -138.75 points (-$2,775 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage. From 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 on NQ, its long trades also made 594.75 points on 4,616 trades on the 5-minute chart, 213.00 points on 342 trades on the 1-hour chart and 1,618.75 points on 60 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.

What happens if you short ES every time the first red Heikin Ashi candle follows a green one?

From 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 on the ES 15-minute chart, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 1,524 short trades, won 35.7% of them and made 66.75 points ($3,338 on one ES contract), before commission and slippage. From 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 on ES, its short trades also made -48.50 points on 4,516 trades on the 5-minute chart, -158.75 points on 373 trades on the 1-hour chart and -702.50 points on 59 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.

Does the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy work on Nasdaq futures?

On NQ futures from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy on the 15-minute chart took 3,063 trades, won 37.5% of them and finished -2,928.50 points (-$58,570 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage.

What is the win rate of Heikin Ashi color flip on ES futures?

The Heikin Ashi color flip strategy won 37.1% of its 3,026 trades on the ES 15-minute chart from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27, before commission and slippage. On ES from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 it also won 35.3% of 9,012 trades on the 5-minute chart, 41.1% of 742 trades on the 1-hour chart and 40.7% of 118 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.

Is the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy better on the 5-minute, 15-minute, 1-hour or daily chart for NQ?

On NQ from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy made -763.75 points on 9,232 trades on the 5-minute chart, -2,928.50 points on 3,063 trades on the 15-minute chart, 703.00 points on 677 trades on the 1-hour chart and -5,789.50 points on 120 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.

Is it better to only buy or only sell Heikin Ashi color flip signals on NQ?

On the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the long trades made -138.75 points on 1,523 trades (39.9% won) and the short trades made -2,789.75 points on 1,540 trades (35.1% won), before commission and slippage.

How many trades does the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy take on NQ in two years?

The Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 3,063 trades on the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, before commission and slippage. On NQ from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 it also took 9,232 on the 5-minute chart, 677 on the 1-hour chart and 120 on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.

What is the max drawdown of the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy on NQ?

The Heikin Ashi color flip strategy had a max drawdown of 4,594.75 points ($91,895 on one NQ contract) on the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, before commission and slippage. On NQ from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 its max drawdown was also 6,092.00 points on the 5-minute chart, 3,006.00 points on the 1-hour chart and 9,861.50 points on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.

How does the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy do on ES compared with NQ?

On the ES 15-minute chart from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 3,026 trades, won 37.1% of them and made 65.50 points ($3,275 on one ES contract), before commission and slippage. On the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Heikin Ashi color flip strategy took 3,063 trades, won 37.5% of them and made -2,928.50 points (-$58,570 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage.

How these were run

  • Gross: no commission and no slippage.
  • The last 2 years of each market, from the first to the last session of its window.
  • A signal on a closed bar fills at the next bar’s open.
  • A stop and a target touched in the same minute count as the stop.
  • Intraday positions are flat at 15:59 ET.
  • Textbook TradingView default settings for every indicator; nothing is tuned.

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