Document July 2026 tuning conclusions in Strategy Status

Record every tested-and-confirmed knob (ATR trail, regime overlay, lookback,
cutoff x book, sizing, FIP tie-breaker) so the sweep is not repeated on the
same snapshot, including the inverse-vol mis-attribution warning and the
universe-level fip_id lead. Prune the done items from the next-experiments
list.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -83,6 +83,26 @@ The conclusion is not "trade high volatility alone." Keep residual momentum as t
 
 Live-ranking note: the backtest ranks residual momentum and volatility inside each weekly setup-candidate cross-section. The live scanner computes the same 80/20 formula across the current ticker universe before scanning so every generated setup carries a stable ticker-level rank. That is the production approximation; reconcile it later only if candidate-only post-scan ranking proves materially different.
 
+Parity guard (July 2026): the portfolio monitor's **Production** row replays the *runtime* configuration — the live activation gate (`qualified` flag) and the Admin exit policy (mode / ATR multiplier / hold days) — so tuning the strategy in Admin is reflected in the next backtest run instead of silently diverging. Constants defined on both sides (exit defaults, trail width, the 80/20 ordering weights, the promoted cutoff) are pinned by `tests/unit/test_prod_strategy_parity.py`, and the ordering weights are single-sourced from `momentum_service`.
+
+### Tuned and confirmed — do not retest without new data (July 2026)
+
+A systematic single-variable sweep (offline prod snapshot, production gate/rank/exit, 2022-06 → 2026-07 plus disjoint 2022–23 / 2024–26 folds) confirmed **every** production setting. Retesting these against the same ~4-year snapshot is wasted compute and invites overfitting; revisit only with meaningfully new data (longer history or broader universe).
+
+| Knob tested | Verdict | Evidence |
+|---|---|---|
+| ATR trail multiple {1.5–4.0} | **Keep 3.0** | Return+Sharpe peak; ≤2.0 whipsaws out the momentum right tail; ≥2.5 is a plateau |
+| SPY 200d-MA regime overlay (block entries / go flat) | **Reject** | Halves return (315%→138%) with zero drawdown benefit — the ATR trail already manages downside, and the filter blocks the recovery-phase entries that make the money |
+| Momentum lookback: 6-1, 3-1, 12-7 (Novy-Marx), composites | **Keep residual 12-1** | 6-1/3-1 rank-IC ≈ 0; 12-7 IC 0.045 / t 1.58 — weaker than residual 12-1 (0.055 / t 1.98) |
+| Selection cutoff {70, 75, 85, 90} × book size {10, 15, 20} | **Keep 80 × 10** | Monotonically worse in both directions from 80; the 10-slot cap never binds (<10 concurrent) |
+| Position sizing: equal-weight, inverse-vol, risk-% sweep | **Keep 1% fixed-fractional** | See the inverse-vol warning below |
+| FIP path-smoothness as an in-book tie-breaker/filter | **Reject** (but see the lead below) | Non-monotonic across FIP quintiles within the qualified set; either half of a median split underperforms the full book — thinning the entry stream costs more compounding than the tilt returns |
+
+Two findings future sessions must not re-litigate:
+
+- **The "inverse-vol sizing win" (July 2026) was mis-attributed — do not resurrect.** The diagnostic sized `notional = equity × 1% / vol_6m`, and the 20% notional cap bound on 95% of entries, so it actually measured "~5 positions × 20% notional each" — a concentration/risk-appetite bump economically equivalent to raising risk to 1.5%, not vol-managed sizing. Genuine inverse-vol sizing (risk budget × median-vol/vol) cuts max drawdown to −18.2% but costs ~58pp total return at flat Sharpe: a risk-preference trade, not edge.
+- **`fip_id` — Da/Gurun/Warachka information discreteness over the 12-1 formation window — is the strongest cross-sectional signal measured on this universe: IC −0.045, t = −2.91, correct sign (continuous-information winners outperform).** It clears the iron-rule bar in isolation but does not improve this book (the momentum gate already captures the effect in-sample). It is the prime ranking/gate candidate **if the universe broadens** (e.g. `nasdaq_all`).
+
 ### The iron rule for strategy changes
 
 A signal earns its way into selection **only** through the factor harness:
@@ -95,11 +115,9 @@ Corollaries: never let an unvalidated score gate setups; the outcome evaluator m
 
 ### Highest-value next experiments (in order)
 
-1. **Forward monitor the promoted strategy** — the production UI now behaves like a portfolio monitor for the current strategy, with selectable lookbacks and SPY comparison.
+1. **Forward monitor the promoted strategy** — the production UI now behaves like a portfolio monitor for the current strategy, with selectable lookbacks and SPY comparison. Forward paper-trade months are the only evidence the snapshot cannot provide; the July 2026 tuning pass closed every in-sample lead. (Trailing-stop sensitivity and the max-15 capacity check are done — see the tuning table above.)
-2. **Trailing-stop sensitivity** — locally compare 2.5x, 3x, and 3.5x ATR trails before changing the promoted 3x default.
+2. **Signal context snapshots** — accumulate point-in-time composite/sentiment/fundamental context for every new setup so the discretionary overlay can be tested forward-only.
-3. **Capacity check** — retest residual/high-vol 80/20 with a max-15 weekly book cap; promote only if it improves drawdown or trade quality without costing too much CAGR.
+3. **More breadth, not more history** — widening the ranked universe (e.g. `nasdaq_all`) strengthens each week's cross-section and the IC t-stat, even if only the top slice is traded. Now doubly motivated: it is also where the strong `fip_id` signal (see tuning findings) could become tradeable. (Deeper history was considered and declined.)
-4. **Signal context snapshots** — accumulate point-in-time composite/sentiment/fundamental context for every new setup so the discretionary overlay can be tested forward-only.
-5. **More breadth, not more history** — widening the ranked universe (e.g. `nasdaq_all`) strengthens each week's cross-section and the IC t-stat, even if only the top slice is traded. (Deeper history was considered and declined.)
 
 ## Key Use Cases
 

app/services/backtest_service.py

@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ from app.models.ticker import Ticker
 from app.services import settings_store
 from app.services.admin_service import get_activation_config, update_setting
 from app.services.indicator_service import _extract_ohlcv, compute_atr
-from app.services.momentum_service import compute_realized_vol_6m
+from app.services.momentum_service import (
+    STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT,
+    compute_realized_vol_6m,
+)
 from app.services.outcome_service import (
     OUTCOME_AMBIGUOUS,
     OUTCOME_STOP_HIT,
@@ -941,7 +944,9 @@ def _assign_residual_high_vol_blend(candidates: list[dict]) -> None:
     """Research ranks: residual momentum blended with higher-vol preference."""
     for output_key, residual_weight in (
         (RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_90_10_KEY, 0.9),
-        (RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_80_20_KEY, 0.8),
+        # The production ordering weight comes from momentum_service so the
+        # simulated production rank cannot drift from the live strategy_rank.
+        (RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_80_20_KEY, STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT),
         (RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_KEY, 0.7),
         (RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_60_40_KEY, 0.6),
     ):
@@ -1061,6 +1066,20 @@ SIM_STARTING_CAPITAL = 10_000.0
 SIM_MAX_POSITIONS = 10
 SIM_RISK_PER_TRADE = 0.01  # fraction of equity risked per position (entry→stop)
 SIM_NOTIONAL_CAP = 0.20    # max fraction of equity per position (no margin)
+# The "atr_trail3" research policy's trail width. Must equal the live default
+# (paper_trade_service.DEFAULT_ATR_MULTIPLIER) — enforced by the parity test.
+# The production portfolio-monitor row additionally follows the *runtime* Admin
+# exit policy, so tuning it live is reflected in the next backtest run.
+ATR_TRAIL_MULTIPLIER = 3.0
+# How live Admin exit modes map onto simulator exit policies. "trailing"
+# (percent trail) has no simulator counterpart and falls back to the plain
+# hold-to-horizon book; the row's live_exit_mode field keeps that visible.
+LIVE_EXIT_MODE_TO_SIM = {
+    "atr_trailing": "atr_trail3",
+    "time": "hold",
+    "target": "target",
+    "trailing": "hold",
+}
 
 
 def _simulate_portfolio(
@@ -1074,6 +1093,7 @@ def _simulate_portfolio(
     ranking_key: str = PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY,
     max_positions: int = SIM_MAX_POSITIONS,
     risk_per_trade: float = SIM_RISK_PER_TRADE,
+    atr_trail_multiplier: float = ATR_TRAIL_MULTIPLIER,
     start_date: date | None = None,
     include_curve: bool = False,
 ) -> dict | None:
@@ -1249,7 +1269,7 @@ def _simulate_portfolio(
                 pos["highest_close"] = max(pos["highest_close"], bar.close)
                 atr = _atr(sym, bar.idx)
                 if atr is not None:
-                    next_stop = pos["highest_close"] - 3.0 * atr
+                    next_stop = pos["highest_close"] - atr_trail_multiplier * atr
                     if next_stop < bar.close:
                         pos["stop"] = max(pos["stop"], next_stop)
 
@@ -1756,9 +1776,16 @@ PORTFOLIO_MONITOR_STRATEGIES: tuple[dict, ...] = (
     {
         "strategy": PRODUCTION_PORTFOLIO_STRATEGY,
         "label": "Production: residual/high-vol 80/20 + 3x ATR trail",
-        "description": "Residual gate, 80/20 residual/high-vol rank, 3x ATR trailing stop.",
+        "description": (
+            "The live strategy: production activation gate and Admin exit policy "
+            "as currently configured, 80/20 residual/high-vol rank."
+        ),
         "entry_variant": "residual80_highvol_blend80_20_fixed10",
         "exit_policy": "atr_trail3",
+        # The production row replays what the platform actually does right now:
+        # the live qualification flag (runtime Admin activation settings) and the
+        # live Admin exit policy, instead of the frozen research-variant gate.
+        "use_live_config": True,
         "is_production": True,
     },
 )
@@ -1817,6 +1844,7 @@ def _portfolio_monitor(
     prices: dict[str, tuple],
     _spy_closes: dict[date, float] | None,
     hold_days: int,
+    live_exit_policy: dict | None = None,
 ) -> dict:
     latest_ord = max((max(cols[0]) for cols in prices.values() if cols[0]), default=None)
     rows: list[dict] = []
@@ -1825,18 +1853,40 @@ def _portfolio_monitor(
         if entry_cfg is None:
             continue
         ranking_key = str(entry_cfg.get("ranking_key") or entry_cfg["percentile_key"])
+        # The production row must replay the LIVE configuration: the runtime
+        # qualification flag (Admin activation settings) instead of the frozen
+        # research-variant gate, and the Admin exit policy instead of the
+        # hardcoded 3x-trail/30d defaults. Research rows stay frozen so they
+        # remain comparable across runs.
+        use_live = bool(strategy.get("use_live_config"))
+        exit_policy = str(strategy["exit_policy"])
+        row_hold_days = hold_days
+        trail_multiplier = ATR_TRAIL_MULTIPLIER
+        live_exit_mode: str | None = None
+        if use_live and live_exit_policy is not None:
+            live_exit_mode = str(live_exit_policy.get("mode", "atr_trailing"))
+            exit_policy = LIVE_EXIT_MODE_TO_SIM.get(live_exit_mode, "atr_trail3")
+            row_hold_days = int(live_exit_policy.get("hold_days", hold_days))
+            trail_multiplier = float(
+                live_exit_policy.get("atr_multiplier", ATR_TRAIL_MULTIPLIER)
+            )
+        qualified_fn = (
+            None if use_live
+            else lambda c, config=entry_cfg: _qualifies_strategy_variant(c, config)
+        )
         for lookback in PORTFOLIO_MONITOR_LOOKBACKS:
             start = _lookback_start(latest_ord, lookback["days"])
             sim = _simulate_portfolio(
                 candidates,
                 prices,
                 _spy_closes,
-                str(strategy["exit_policy"]),
+                exit_policy,
-                hold_days,
+                row_hold_days,
-                qualified_fn=lambda c, config=entry_cfg: _qualifies_strategy_variant(c, config),
+                qualified_fn=qualified_fn,
                 ranking_key=ranking_key,
                 max_positions=int(entry_cfg["max_positions"]),
                 risk_per_trade=float(entry_cfg["risk_per_trade"]),
+                atr_trail_multiplier=trail_multiplier,
                 start_date=start,
                 include_curve=True,
             )
@@ -1848,7 +1898,8 @@ def _portfolio_monitor(
                 "description": strategy["description"],
                 "is_production": bool(strategy.get("is_production")),
                 "entry_variant": strategy["entry_variant"],
-                "exit_policy": strategy["exit_policy"],
+                "exit_policy": exit_policy,
+                "live_exit_mode": live_exit_mode,
                 "lookback": lookback["lookback"],
                 "lookback_label": lookback["label"],
                 **sim,
@@ -2415,8 +2466,16 @@ async def run_backtest(
         exit_policy_rows = _exit_policy_sims(
             candidates, price_columns, spy_closes, hold_horizon
         )
+        live_exit_policy: dict | None = None
+        try:
+            from app.services.paper_trade_service import get_exit_policy
+
+            live_exit_policy = await get_exit_policy(db)
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("Live exit policy load failed; monitor uses defaults")
         portfolio_monitor_report = _portfolio_monitor(
-            candidates, price_columns, spy_closes, hold_horizon
+            candidates, price_columns, spy_closes, hold_horizon,
+            live_exit_policy=live_exit_policy,
         )
     except Exception:
         logger.exception("Portfolio simulation failed")

app/services/momentum_service.py

@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 _MOM_LOOKBACK = 252
 _MOM_SKIP = 21
 
+# Promoted production ordering: strategy_rank blends the momentum and realized-
+# volatility percentiles. Single source of truth — the backtest's production
+# ranking key imports these so live and simulated ordering cannot drift.
+STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT = 0.8
+STRATEGY_RANK_VOL_WEIGHT = 1.0 - STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT
+
 
 def compute_12_1_momentum(closes: list[float]) -> float | None:
     """Return over the window ending ~1 month ago, starting ~12 months ago.
@@ -199,7 +205,11 @@ async def compute_activation_ranks(db: AsyncSession) -> dict[str, dict[str, floa
         momentum_pct = momentum_percentiles.get(sym)
         vol_pct = vol_percentiles.get(sym)
         strategy_rank = (
-            round(momentum_pct * 0.8 + vol_pct * 0.2, 2)
+            round(
+                momentum_pct * STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT
+                + vol_pct * STRATEGY_RANK_VOL_WEIGHT,
+                2,
+            )
             if momentum_pct is not None and vol_pct is not None
             else momentum_pct
         )

frontend/src/components/ticker/RecommendationPanel.tsx

@@ -49,6 +49,21 @@ function entryDrift(setup: TradeSetup, currentPrice?: number) {
   return { pct, progressPct, towardTarget, status };
 }
 
+/**
+ * A stored setup is the latest for its direction. When price has run to/past the
+ * target (played out) or through the stop (invalidated), there is no fresh setup
+ * — the card and the ticker-level header should say so rather than present a
+ * stale actionable recommendation. Returns null when there's no live price.
+ */
+function notActionableState(setup: TradeSetup, currentPrice?: number) {
+  if (currentPrice == null) return null;
+  const drift = entryDrift(setup, currentPrice);
+  const playedOut = setup.direction === 'long' ? currentPrice >= setup.target : currentPrice <= setup.target;
+  const invalidated = drift?.status === 'invalidated';
+  if (!playedOut && !invalidated) return null;
+  return { playedOut, invalidated };
+}
+
 function riskClass(risk: TradeSetup['risk_level']) {
   if (risk === 'Low') return 'text-emerald-400';
   if (risk === 'Medium') return 'text-amber-400';
@@ -115,6 +130,13 @@ function SetupCard({ setup, action, currentPrice, risk, regime }: { setup?: Trad
   const sizing = positionSize(risk.accountSize, risk.riskPct, setup.entry_price, setup.stop_loss);
   const counterTrend = regime ? isCounterTrend(setup.direction, regime.label) : false;
 
+  // When price has run to/past the target (played out) or through the stop
+  // (invalidated), there is no fresh setup — show a plain "no current setup"
+  // state instead of an actionable card with no reward left.
+  const inactive = notActionableState(setup, currentPrice);
+  const invalidated = inactive?.invalidated ?? false;
+  const notActionable = inactive != null;
+
   const createTrade = useCreatePaperTrade();
   const [taking, setTaking] = useState(false);
   const [takeShares, setTakeShares] = useState<number>(sizing?.shares ?? 0);
@@ -134,6 +156,30 @@ function SetupCard({ setup, action, currentPrice, risk, regime }: { setup?: Trad
     );
   };
 
+  if (notActionable) {
+    const dir = setup.direction.toUpperCase();
+    return (
+      <div data-direction={setup.direction} className="glass-sm p-4 space-y-2">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+          <h4 className={`text-sm font-semibold ${setup.direction === 'long' ? 'text-emerald-400' : 'text-red-400'}`}>
+            {dir}
+          </h4>
+          <span className="text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">No current setup</span>
+        </div>
+        <p className="text-[11px] text-gray-400">
+          {invalidated
+            ? `The last ${dir} setup is invalidated — price (${formatPrice(currentPrice!)}) has passed the stop (${formatPrice(setup.stop_loss)}). No fresh ${dir} setup right now; the scanner surfaces a new one when it forms.`
+            : `The last ${dir} setup has played out — price (${formatPrice(currentPrice!)}) is at or past the target (${formatPrice(setup.target)}). No fresh ${dir} setup right now; the scanner surfaces a new one when it forms.`}
+        </p>
+        <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-x-2 gap-y-1 text-xs">
+          <div className="text-gray-500">Current</div><div className="font-mono text-gray-300">{currentPrice != null ? formatPrice(currentPrice) : '—'}</div>
+          <div className="text-gray-500">Last entry</div><div className="font-mono text-gray-400">{formatPrice(setup.entry_price)}{drift ? ` (${drift.pct >= 0 ? '+' : ''}${drift.pct.toFixed(1)}%)` : ''}</div>
+          <div className="text-gray-500">Last target</div><div className="font-mono text-gray-400">{formatPrice(setup.target)}</div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   return (
     <div
       data-direction={setup.direction}
@@ -341,12 +387,23 @@ export function RecommendationPanel({ symbol, longSetup, shortSetup, currentPric
     return null;
   }
 
+  // If the preferred setup has played out / been invalidated, the stored
+  // ticker-level bias and reasoning are stale — don't headline "Strong Long"
+  // above a "no current setup" card.
+  const preferredInactive = preferredSetup ? notActionableState(preferredSetup, currentPrice) : null;
+
   return (
     <section>
       <h2 className="mb-3 text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-500">Recommendation</h2>
       <div className="glass p-5 space-y-4">
         <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-4">
-          <span className="text-sm font-semibold text-blue-300">{recommendationActionLabel(action)}</span>
+          {preferredInactive ? (
+            <span className="text-sm font-semibold text-gray-400">
+              No current setup <span className="font-normal text-gray-500">(last {preferredDirection} bias {recommendationActionLabel(action).toLowerCase()} — {preferredInactive.invalidated ? 'invalidated' : 'played out'})</span>
+            </span>
+          ) : (
+            <span className="text-sm font-semibold text-blue-300">{recommendationActionLabel(action)}</span>
+          )}
           <span className={`text-sm font-semibold ${riskClass(summary?.risk_level ?? null)}`}>
             Risk: {summary?.risk_level ?? '—'}
           </span>
@@ -359,7 +416,7 @@ export function RecommendationPanel({ symbol, longSetup, shortSetup, currentPric
 
         <p className="text-xs text-gray-500">Recommended Action is the ticker-level bias. The preferred setup is shown first; the opposite side is available under Alternative scenario.</p>
 
-        {summary?.reasoning && (
+        {summary?.reasoning && !preferredInactive && (
           <p className="text-sm text-gray-300">{summary.reasoning}</p>
         )}
 

tests/unit/test_prod_strategy_parity.py

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+"""Parity guards: the backtest's production strategy must equal the live setup.
+
+The portfolio monitor's production row replays the live qualification flag and
+the runtime Admin exit policy, but several constants are still defined on both
+sides (defaults, trail width, ordering weights). These tests fail if the two
+sides drift, so a change to the live strategy forces the backtest — and vice
+versa — to move with it.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+
+from app.services import paper_trade_service
+from app.services.admin_service import ACTIVATION_DEFAULTS
+from app.services.backtest_service import (
+    ATR_TRAIL_MULTIPLIER,
+    LIVE_EXIT_MODE_TO_SIM,
+    PORTFOLIO_MONITOR_STRATEGIES,
+    PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY,
+    RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_80_20_KEY,
+    TIME_EXIT_DAYS,
+    _entry_variant_config,
+    _momentum_qualifies,
+    _qualifies_strategy_variant,
+)
+from app.services.momentum_service import (
+    STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT,
+    STRATEGY_RANK_VOL_WEIGHT,
+)
+
+
+def _production_monitor_row() -> dict:
+    return next(s for s in PORTFOLIO_MONITOR_STRATEGIES if s.get("is_production"))
+
+
+def test_exit_defaults_match_the_simulated_exit() -> None:
+    assert paper_trade_service.DEFAULT_EXIT_MODE == "atr_trailing"
+    assert LIVE_EXIT_MODE_TO_SIM[paper_trade_service.DEFAULT_EXIT_MODE] == "atr_trail3"
+    assert paper_trade_service.DEFAULT_ATR_MULTIPLIER == ATR_TRAIL_MULTIPLIER
+    assert paper_trade_service.DEFAULT_HOLD_DAYS == max(TIME_EXIT_DAYS)
+
+
+def test_every_live_exit_mode_has_a_sim_mapping() -> None:
+    assert set(paper_trade_service._VALID_EXIT_MODES) == set(LIVE_EXIT_MODE_TO_SIM)
+
+
+def test_gate_default_matches_the_promoted_cutoff() -> None:
+    prod = _production_monitor_row()
+    entry_cfg = _entry_variant_config(str(prod["entry_variant"]))
+    assert entry_cfg is not None
+    assert float(entry_cfg["cutoff"]) == float(ACTIVATION_DEFAULTS["min_momentum_percentile"])
+
+
+def test_production_ordering_weights_are_single_sourced() -> None:
+    # The promoted ordering is 80/20 momentum/vol; the backtest imports the
+    # weight, so equality here pins the *value* the promotion was validated at.
+    assert STRATEGY_RANK_MOMENTUM_WEIGHT == 0.8
+    assert STRATEGY_RANK_VOL_WEIGHT == pytest.approx(0.2)
+    prod = _production_monitor_row()
+    entry_cfg = _entry_variant_config(str(prod["entry_variant"]))
+    assert entry_cfg is not None
+    assert entry_cfg["ranking_key"] == RESIDUAL_HIGH_VOL_BLEND_80_20_KEY
+
+
+def test_production_monitor_row_replays_the_live_config() -> None:
+    prod = _production_monitor_row()
+    assert prod.get("use_live_config") is True
+    assert prod["exit_policy"] == "atr_trail3"
+
+
+def test_live_gate_equals_the_production_variant_gate() -> None:
+    """The monitor's live-gate switch relies on the runtime `qualified` flag
+    (_momentum_qualifies) selecting exactly what the frozen production variant
+    gate selects at the default cutoff."""
+    prod = _production_monitor_row()
+    entry_cfg = _entry_variant_config(str(prod["entry_variant"]))
+    assert entry_cfg is not None
+    cutoff = float(ACTIVATION_DEFAULTS["min_momentum_percentile"])
+    for cand in (
+        {"meets_core": True, "direction": "long", PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY: 92.0},
+        {"meets_core": True, "direction": "long", PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY: 80.0},
+        {"meets_core": True, "direction": "long", PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY: 79.9},
+        {"meets_core": True, "direction": "long", PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY: None},
+        {"meets_core": True, "direction": "short", PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY: 95.0},
+        {"meets_core": False, "direction": "long", PRODUCTION_PERCENTILE_KEY: 95.0},
+    ):
+        assert _momentum_qualifies(cand, cutoff) == _qualifies_strategy_variant(
+            cand, entry_cfg
+        ), cand