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Backtest MCX Strategies

You can backtest strategies on all ten MCX commodities using the 920 Straddle backtest page. A backtest shows how your strategy would have performed in the past, so you can refine it before you risk real money.

You need the MCX add-on and backtest quota. Each MCX backtest uses one backtest from your quota. See The MCX plan.

Run an MCX backtest​

  1. Go to Backtest and select the MCX tab.
  2. In Instrument Settings, select a commodity such as CRUDEOIL or GOLDM. Underlying from is set to Futures for MCX, because MCX has no spot price.
  3. Choose a Strategy Type: Intraday, BTST, or Positional.
  4. Set your Entry Time and Exit Time anywhere from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM IST. Evening times such as 9:00 PM entry and 11:00 PM exit work.
  5. Add legs in the Leg Builder. Choose Futures or Options, the position, the expiry (Monthly or Next Monthly), and the strike.
  6. Pick a date range on or after 1 January 2026, and click Start Backtest.

The rest of the backtest page works the same way as for indices. For a full walkthrough of every setting, see How to Backtest.

Things that work differently on MCX​

Data starts on 1 January 2026. There's no MCX history before that date. A longer range starts on the first available day.

Positional strategies use the option expiry for option legs. If you enter 5 days before expiry, AlgoTest counts back from the option's expiry date, which is a few days before the futures expiry.

"Include weekly expiries from previous regime" has no effect. MCX has monthly expiries only, so this toggle does nothing for MCX strategies.

GOLDPETAL and GOLDTEN are futures only. An options leg on either is blocked.

note

Because MCX has only monthly expiries, an MCX backtest has far fewer expiry days than a NIFTY or SENSEX backtest over the same range. Keep this in mind when you compare results across instruments.

Portfolio backtests​

You can mix MCX and NSE strategies in one portfolio. For example, a portfolio of CRUDEOILM, GOLDM, and NIFTY strategies backtests together, and its total equals the sum of the individual strategies. See Portfolio.

Save, export, and import​

You can save an MCX strategy, use Save As New, and export or import it as an .algtst file. Saving needs the MCX add-on.

Next steps​