FAQ

There are various Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Mutual Funds (MFs) that are designed to provide one time (1X) or two times (2X) the performance of the NASDAQ-100 index. The 2X ETF/MFs attempt to return twice the NASDAQ-100 performance - when the NASDAQ-100 increases by 10%, the 2X ETF/MF should increase by 20%.

Correspondingly, there are also ETF/MFs that attempt to track the inverse of the NASDAQ-100 by 1X or 2X. These 'inverse' ETF/MFs provide a positive return as the NASDAQ-100 trends down.

These ETFs/MFs are designed to track the NASDAQ-100 on a daily basis. How well they perform compared to the NASDAQ-100 return for a 4QTiming signal that typically lasts several weeks varies, and is dependent on market volatility and the strength of the market trend during the 4QTiming signal. In general, they will very seldom match what the NASDAQ-100 return is for a 4QTiming signal and will be further off during volatile market periods.

4QTiming.com signal returns are based on the NASDAQ-100 'market close' value the day following a signal change - similar to investing with a '1X' mutual fund.

The Performance Summarizer summarizes the results of 4QTiming signals for various past date ranges. The 'Total Return' is the total compounded percent increase for the time period selected and the 'Annual Rate' is the compounded annual rate of that 'Total Return' over the same time period.

The 4QTiming 1X and 2X returns are based on the NASDAQ-100 return for each 4QTiming 'signal'. As a comparison, returns with a ‘Buy and Hold’ NASDAQ-100 tracking strategy is also shown for the same time period.

Your actual returns with the available tracking and inverse 1X and 2X ETFs/MFs will typically be less than what the Performance Summarizer shows. The reason for that is that the NASDAQ-100 ETFs/MFs are designed to track the NASDAQ-100 on a daily basis. How well they perform compared to the NASDAQ-100 return for a 4QTiming signal that typically lasts several weeks varies, and is dependent on market volatility and the strength of the market trend during the 4QTiming signal. In general, they will very seldom match what the Nasdaq-100 return is for a 4QTiming signal and will be further off during volatile market periods.

In the box below the ‘Growth Of’, you can enter an initial investment value and then see how your initial amount would have grown with 4QTiming over the time period you picked.

With this tool you can:
- Verify the consistency of 4QTiming returns over various time periods over the past twenty plus years.
- Use it to compare 4QTiming returns with other market timing services.
- Project how your money may possibly grow with 4QTiming.

Note: This only applies if you have an active subscription to the 4QTiming service.

This meter shows you how the 4QTiming model places the current NASDAQ-100 value to the possibility of a signal change. It gives you some idea as to how strong the market is for the current 4QTiming signal. If the signal is towards either end of the meter, the chance of a signal change is remote. When the indicator moves toward the middle of the meter, the possibility of a signal change increases. When in this more middle position, be prepared to move your investments if a signal is generated.

Caution: A more middle position doesn’t mean a signal change will occur, it just means it could! Many times the indicator will then move again towards an end. It’s all part of how the market will fluctuate within a signal.

Note: This only applies if you have an active subscription to the 4QTiming service.

You will see this discrepency the first two days after a signal change. The Current Signal Performance tracks the previous signal until the trade occurs for the new signal at market close the day after a signal change.

Exchange Traded Funds or ETFs can be traded like stock at any time during normal trading hours. You can also put a ‘stop loss’ on an ETF as insurance against large market drops. When a 4QTiming.com signal change occurs, you do a ‘sell’ on the ETF for the current signal and then do a ‘buy’ on the new signal’s appropriate ETF. ETFs give you the option of selling at the 'market open' or at any time when the market is open and then doing a buy anytime during the day after a signal change. You will incur brokerage costs on each ‘sell’ and ‘buy’ ETF transaction.

Mutual funds don’t let you trade them at any time during the day and typically limit you to trading them at a trading day’s 'market close'. Some funds, like Rydex, also provide a mid-morning trade. Your trade is simpler with mutual funds in that you can do a single exchange transaction between your ‘Long’ and ‘Short’ funds for each 4QTiming.com signal change. There is no transaction fee with the mutual fund exchange transaction.

Which one you choose depends on whether you like the trading time flexibility and ‘stop loss’ option of ETFs, or the no transaction fee and simplicity of doing exchanges with mutual funds at restricted times.

4QTiming.com performance returns are based on investing with mutual funds – at the NASDAQ-100 'market close' value the day following a signal change.

Does trading sooner after a signal change with an ETF at the 'market open' provide better returns on 4QTiming.com signals? Comparing signal performance over the past six years showed that trading at 'market close' gave a higher rate of return by two percent compared to trading at 'market open'. The best performance then was achieved by trading at the 'market close' the next trading day after a 4QTiming.com signal change.

Common ETF/MFs for trading on 4QTiming 'Long' and 'Short' Signals.

See Step 2 in Steps to Take to learn more.

Comparing 'market open' to 'market close' trade signal performance over the past 20 years shows that trading at 'market close' after a 'Signal Change' gave a higher return of two percent compared to trading at 'market open'. The best performance then was achieved by trading at the 'market close' the next trading day after a 4QTiming.com signal change - similar to trading with a mutual fund.

Auto-Trading is where you sign up with a broker to do the trade switching for you on 4QTiming signals. 4QTiming signals will then go to both you and your broker, who will then change your investments to the ETF/MFs you chose for 'Long' and 'Short' signals.

Using a service like this relieves you from watching for 4QTiming signal changes and then doing the trade swaps on your chosen ETF/MFs, the broker will handle all that for you.

Not all brokers provide this service, here are several that provide auto-trading on 4QTimng signals:

eOption.com
TradeWallStreet.com
Investrade.com

The 'Signal Change' emails are issued several hours after the market closes.

The 4QTiming.com model is designed to detect long term trend changes in the NASDAQ-100. The NASDAQ-100 can vary by more than ten percent within a current 4QTiming signal before the signal changes. Thus, there is a chance you could lose ten percent on your initial investment if you invest all at once on the current signal. Your losses could be up to twenty percent if you are using a 2X type investment ETF/MF.

The most conservative approach is to wait until the next signal.

However, it may be several months before a new 4QTiming signal is generated and you would have missed the possible gains during the current signal.

4QTiming’s recommendation for initial subscribers is to invest in the current signal by spreading your investing over several weeks or months.

For example, you would invest 25% now, another 25% in two or three weeks and so on until you are all invested. You could choose to invest 20% at a time or some other percentage, the number is not magical, the important point is to spread your initial investing over several weeks.

This approach will minimize the potential impact from short term market swings if the signal changes soon after you initially invest, but still let you benefit from the possible gains if the market continues in the current signal direction. Of course, if a signal change occurs before you are completely invested, you would then invest your total amount according to the new signal.

• If it is ‘Long’, you invest in the ETF/MF you chose for ‘Long’ signals (from Step 2 in Steps to Take).
• If it is ‘Short’, you invest in the inverse ETF/MF you chose for ‘Short’ signals (from Step 2 in Steps to Take).

You then continue investing in the two types of ETF/MFs as each 4QTiming 'Signal Change' email alternates between ‘Long’ and ‘Short’.

In the rare instance where the 'Signal' is 'Cash', you move your invested amount into a money market fund or other cash position until the next 'Signal'.

Since it may be many months between a 4QTiming signal change, monthly emails are sent to 'Members' on the first day of each month as reassurance that their email address is still good for a signal change email. If you don't recieve one, please contact support@4qtiming.com.

Login, then go to 'My Account' and the 'Subscription' page. Select the 'Cancel' option and select 'Continue' or 'Cancel Subscription' button. You will receive and email verifying your subscription cancellation.

You will continue to have access as a 'Member' until your current paid subscription expires.

Login using your previous subscription login id and password. Then go to 'My Account' and the 'Subscription' page. Select the subscription plan you want and continue with the payment process.

Yes, checks are accepted for semi-annual and annual subscriptions. Please contact support@4qtiming.com for details.

TimerTrac.com is an independent third party that records and tracks market timing signals from market timing services. Each time 4QTiming issues a signal to subscribers, it also sends the same signal to TimerTrac that then keeps a record of the signal. This provides you an independent verification of the validity of 4QTiming signals.

The first 4QTiming.com signal trade you will see in TimerTrac will be the one for 5/10/2010. That's because when 4QTiming.com joined TimerTrac on 2/2/2010 it was during a current signal and the next signal change wasn't until the one for 5/10/2010.

4QTiming does not share your account information.