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How every signal on this site is calculated — and where each one breaks down
Most financial dashboards show you a number without telling you how it was produced. That makes the number impossible to judge. These guides do the opposite: each one takes a single signal that appears somewhere on Portfolio Watch, explains the underlying market concept in plain English, gives the exact formula and thresholds we use, and then sets out the assumptions and biases that should make you discount it.
We write the limitations sections as carefully as the explanatory ones. A backtest that excludes dividends, a sentiment ratio that cannot distinguish opening trades from closing ones, a yield figure annualized from a seven-day holding period — these caveats are the difference between a number you can use and a number that will mislead you.
All guides
What the Zacks Bull of the Day Backtest Actually Measures
The $100-per-day rebalancing rule behind our strategy chart, the dollar-cost-averaged SPY benchmark it is measured against, and the four biases that inflate the result.
VolatilityReading the VIX and VXN Fear Gauges
What the volatility indices measure, why VXN sits on a structurally higher baseline than VIX, the thresholds we label them with, and why extreme fear is not a buy signal.
Options IncomeCash-Secured Puts and Covered Calls, Screened by the Numbers
Delta as a probability proxy, the annualized yield formula and why it overstates reality, IV Rank, our liquidity filters, and what the screen cannot tell you.
EarningsHow the Implied Earnings Move Is Calculated
Deriving the market's expected earnings reaction from the at-the-money straddle, what the percentage really represents, and why volatility crush punishes the obvious trade.
CommoditiesPrecious Metals Signals: Spot, ETFs, and the Gold Ratios
Why gold, silver, and platinum are three different assets, how futures differ from the physically-backed ETFs, and how to read the gold ratios without over-trusting them.
Reference pages
Data & Methodology
Every external data source we use, how often each one refreshes, what we store, and an honest list of the known gaps in our data.
DefinitionsGlossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms used across the site, from delta and implied volatility to DTE, IV Rank, and the gold/silver ratio.
SupportFrequently Asked Questions
What the service does, how the daily digest works, what data we keep, how to pause emails, and why we do not offer investment advice.
Important Notice: Everything published in this section is provided strictly for informational and educational purposes. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial guidance, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Market investments involve substantial risk of loss. Always perform your own due diligence and consult a licensed financial advisor before making financial decisions.