Z-Score Modeling
Z-score modeling is a statistical method used to determine how many standard deviations a data point is from the mean. In trading, it is used to quantify the extremity of a price move or the spread between two assets.
A Z-score of zero indicates the price is at the mean, while a score of two or higher suggests the price is significantly overextended. Traders use these thresholds to trigger mean-reversion signals, entering trades when the Z-score reaches an extreme and exiting when it returns to the mean.
It is a simple yet powerful tool for identifying potential turning points in a market. By normalizing data, it allows traders to compare assets with different price levels or volatility profiles.
It is a fundamental component of many systematic trading strategies.