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Ford · Sigma Moves

Closed-period price moves, measured against their own history. One engine. Five markets. No forecasts.

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Latest closed period

Ford's latest move against its own history.

6 February 2025 · Daily
F Exceptional -7.49% -4.29σ About once every 251 trading sessions 5 comparable moves / 1,257 observations

What happened afterwards

All history-qualified moves of at least 2.5σ. Results after the event are descriptive statistics, not trading instructions.

+1 sessions

Median return -0.08%

Completed observations: 34

Middle 50%
-1.60% … +1.27%
Positive returns
47%

+7 sessions

Median return +0.16%

Completed observations: 34

Middle 50%
-3.02% … +4.37%
Positive returns
50%

+30 sessions

Median return +2.29%

Completed observations: 34

Middle 50%
-6.25% … +15.08%
Positive returns
59%

Every rare move, in context

Instrument: F (price return)

DateσMoveObserved rarity+1 sessions+7 sessions+30 sessions
6 Feb 2025 -4.29σ -7.49% About once every 251 trading sessions5 comparable moves / 1,257 observations -0.22% +0.32% +7.99%
29 Oct 2024 -5.12σ -8.44% 4 times in 5 years4 comparable moves / 1,258 observations +0.58% +5.28% +0.00%
25 Jul 2024 -11.07σ -18.36% Not previously observed in 5 years0 comparable moves / 1,258 observations +0.27% -12.99% -5.20%
12 Jul 2024 +2.59σ +4.16% About once every 39 trading sessions32 comparable moves / 1,258 observations +1.43% -1.43% -19.67%
22 Apr 2024 +2.91σ +6.10% About once every 60 trading sessions21 comparable moves / 1,259 observations +0.47% -5.28% -6.60%
20 Mar 2024 +2.83σ +4.88% About once every 57 trading sessions22 comparable moves / 1,259 observations +0.16% +3.02% -3.18%
7 Feb 2024 +2.50σ +6.05% About once every 34 trading sessions37 comparable moves / 1,258 observations +0.23% -3.91% +0.94%
14 Dec 2023 +3.41σ +7.47% About once every 90 trading sessions14 comparable moves / 1,258 observations -0.50% +3.06% -2.48%
27 Oct 2023 -9.42σ -12.25% Not previously observed in 5 years0 comparable moves / 1,257 observations -1.91% +2.11% +11.14%
10 Aug 2023 -2.57σ -4.48% About once every 36 trading sessions35 comparable moves / 1,257 observations -0.16% -1.56% +2.22%
17 Jul 2023 -3.60σ -5.94% About once every 105 trading sessions12 comparable moves / 1,257 observations +0.57% -2.98% -15.54%
26 May 2023 +3.14σ +6.24% About once every 74 trading sessions17 comparable moves / 1,258 observations +4.14% +12.41% +25.89%
3 Feb 2023 -2.94σ -7.61% About once every 70 trading sessions18 comparable moves / 1,258 observations -0.68% -1.97% -15.50%
16 Dec 2022 -3.51σ -6.98% About once every 97 trading sessions13 comparable moves / 1,258 observations -3.55% -9.65% +13.78%
20 Sep 2022 -5.78σ -12.32% About once every 250 trading sessions5 comparable moves / 1,248 observations -0.31% -12.38% +2.37%
16 Jun 2022 -2.62σ -8.31% About once every 38 trading sessions31 comparable moves / 1,183 observations -0.18% +4.98% +36.36%
13 Jun 2022 -2.60σ -7.37% About once every 37 trading sessions32 comparable moves / 1,180 observations +3.30% -2.12% +11.69%
13 May 2022 +2.86σ +8.52% About once every 61 trading sessions19 comparable moves / 1,160 observations -3.33% -8.00% -12.52%
4 Feb 2022 -3.19σ -9.70% About once every 68 trading sessions16 comparable moves / 1,092 observations -0.39% +0.67% -8.24%
19 Jan 2022 -2.57σ -7.92% About once every 35 trading sessions31 comparable moves / 1,080 observations -3.56% -12.96% -21.60%

The number has a method behind it

Sigma measures the size of a log return relative to volatility estimated before the period. Rarity is counted from actual historical standardized moves, not inferred from a normal distribution.

σt = ln(Ct / Ct−1) / vtvt ← t−1, t−2, …

Volatility adapts to the market regime with EWMA (λ = 0.94 for daily and weekly observations). Current-period returns are excluded. Each historical σ uses its own prior volatility.

Both directions count toward rarity. Reference history spans up to five years. A period with no prior exceedances is labelled unprecedented in the observed sample; it is never given an invented recurrence interval.

Stock observations use split-adjusted price returns, without dividend reinvestment. Commodities are explicitly labelled ETF price proxies; they do not represent spot commodity prices.

Questions behind the sigma

What does a 3σ move mean?

The period log return is three times the volatility estimated from earlier periods. Sigma is signed: negative for declines and positive for rises.

Why not calculate rarity from a normal distribution?

Market returns have heavy tails and changing volatility. We count actual past absolute sigma exceedances for the same instrument and period.

Does “once every 200 days” predict the next event?

No. It is the number of historical observed periods divided by comparable moves. Events can cluster and the market regime can change.

How much history is required?

At least three years of valid standardized observations, after a one-year volatility warm-up. This normally requires approximately four years of source history.

Are all instruments directly comparable?

The engine is shared, but each instrument has its own prices, calendar, volatility and reference sample. Commodity cards use explicitly labelled ETF proxies.

What happens on quiet days?

The page shows the largest covered standardized move, the complete rarity scale and recent records. Missing data is reported separately from market calm.

For information only. Historical observations are not investment advice and do not predict future moves. A rare move can be followed by another rare move.