Talk Your Book: A Tactical Strategy That Actually Works

What It Covers

Dan Russo, co-CIO of Potomac Funds, explains how their quantitative tactical strategy achieves equity-like returns with lower drawdowns by using composite models that move 100% to cash when signals dictate, outperforming the S&P 500.

Key Questions Answered

• •Composite Model Structure: Potomac combines multiple uncorrelated trading systems (trend following, mean reversion, breadth indicators) into one composite model that answers a single question: do you want to be invested? This regime-aware approach captured six of seven bear market rallies in 2022 despite a bearish base system.
• •Leveraged Beta Strategy: The Defensive Bull fund runs at 1.6 beta to the S&P 500 using futures and ETFs when invested, but spends roughly 40% of time in cash. This creates an effective 0.5 long-term beta while maintaining equity-like returns with significantly lower drawdowns than traditional portfolios.
• •Maximum Drawdown Focus: Rather than arbitrary stop losses like 5%, Potomac tests each trading system for maximum drawdown as the primary risk metric. This accounts for changing volatility regimes and prevents premature exits during normal market fluctuations while maintaining disciplined risk management across all four fund strategies.
• •Zero Discretion Execution: Once trading systems are designed and tested, Potomac follows signals without override, even when personal views conflict. In 2022, Russo took buy signals during a bear market he personally expected to worsen, demonstrating commitment to data over feelings and maintaining promised systematic delivery to clients.