So between variations of different strategies, for those who have yet to come across it, my IKTrading package has a function called quandClean, which exists to get and clean daily futures data from quandl.com . The exact process can be found on the Revolution Analytics blog on this post.

While some of their futures data is quoted in other currencies, or has very short history, I’ve compiled a data file to get futures data that has long history.

Found there are price histories for ags, precious metals, forex, and more.

Here’s the code:

require(IKTrading)

currency('USD')
Sys.setenv(TZ="UTC")


t1 <- Sys.time()
if(!"CME_CL" %in% ls()) {
  #Energies
  CME_CL <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_CL", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Crude
  CME_NG <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_NG", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #NatGas
  CME_HO <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_HO", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #HeatingOil
  CME_RB <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_RB", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Gasoline
  ICE_B <- quandClean("CHRIS/ICE_B", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Brent
  ICE_G <- quandClean("CHRIS/ICE_G", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Gasoil
  
  #Grains
  CME_C <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_C", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Chicago Corn
  CME_S <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_S", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Chicago Soybeans
  CME_W <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_W", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Chicago Wheat
  CME_SM <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_SM", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Chicago Soybean Meal
  CME_KW <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_KW", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Kansas City Wheat
  CME_BO <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_BO", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Chicago Soybean Oil
  
  #Softs
  ICE_SB <- quandClean("CHRIS/ICE_SB", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Sugar
  ICE_KC <- quandClean("CHRIS/ICE_KC", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Coffee
  ICE_CC <- quandClean("CHRIS/ICE_CC", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Cocoa
  ICE_CT <- quandClean("CHRIS/ICE_CT", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Cotton
  
  #Other Ags
  CME_LC <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_LC", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Live Cattle
  CME_LN <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_LN", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Lean Hogs
  
  #Precious Metals
  CME_GC <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_GC", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Gold
  CME_SI <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_SI", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Silver
  CME_PL <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_PL", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Platinum
  CME_PA <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_PA", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Palladium
  
  #Base
  CME_HG <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_HG", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Copper
  
  #Currencies
  CME_AD <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_AD", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Ozzie
  CME_CD <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_CD", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Loonie
  CME_SF <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_SF", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Franc
  CME_EC <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_EC", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Euro
  CME_BP <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_BP", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Cable
  CME_JY <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_JY", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Yen
  CME_NE <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_NE", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Kiwi
  
  #Equities
  CME_ES <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_ES", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Emini
  CME_MD <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_MD", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Midcap 400
  CME_NQ <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_NQ", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Nasdaq 100
  CME_TF <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_TF", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Russell Smallcap
  CME_NK <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_NK", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Nikkei
  
  #Dollar Index and Bonds/Rates
  ICE_DX  <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_DX", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Dixie
  #CME_FF  <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_FF", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #30-day fed funds
  CME_ED  <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_ED", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #3 Mo. Eurodollar/TED Spread
  CME_FV  <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_FV", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Five Year TNote
  CME_TY  <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_TY", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #Ten Year Note
  CME_US  <- quandClean("CHRIS/CME_US", start_date=from, end_date=to, verbose=verbose) #30 year bond
}

CMEinsts <- c("CL", "NG", "HO", "RB", "C", "S", "W", "SM", "KW", "BO", "LC", "LN", "GC", "SI", "PL", 
              "PA", "HG", "AD", "CD", "SF", "EC", "BP", "JY", "NE", "ES", "MD", "NQ", "TF", "NK", #"FF",
              "ED", "FV", "TY", "US")

ICEinsts <- c("B", "G", "SB", "KC", "CC", "CT", "DX")
CME <- paste("CME", CMEinsts, sep="_")
ICE <- paste("ICE", ICEinsts, sep="_")
symbols <- c(CME, ICE)
stock(symbols, currency="USD", multiplier=1)
t2 <- Sys.time()
print(t2-t1)

Note that you need your own quandl authorization token. However, beyond that, this process takes around 5 minutes or so to complete, so similarly to my demoData.R file, it functions based off of whether or not CME_CL (that is, the price history for crude oil) is present in your working environment.

The from (“yyyy-mm-dd”), to (same), and verbose (TRUE or FALSE) variables will be variables to set in a demo file, so you’ll have to input them yourself. Beyond that, you simply source this file, and you’ll have a large amount of futures data on which to run trading strategies. They don’t necessarily even have to be quantstrat types of trading strategies, as these are simply xts objects. I commented out CME_FF because it generally is something that is characterized by rare spikes as opposed to steady and consistent price movements.

Granted, I cannot vouch that this data will be perfect (probably a long way from it, considering that quandl isn’t the greatest source of it), but it *is* free, so for anyone who wishes to do any backtesting on futures data, well, here you go. Also, I may edit which exact instruments I use in the future if there are continuing data issues.

Thanks for reading.