Methodology
Momentum, without the black box.
Pinecone turns price performance into a transparent ranking system across stocks and sectors.
Stock Momentum
From price returns to rank
Four systematic steps. No discretionary stock calls and no hidden inputs.
01
Measure returns
Every eligible stock is measured across 1M, 3M, 6M and 1Y.
02
Standardise
Each return becomes a Z-score relative to the eligible Nifty 500 universe.
03
Combine
The four Z-scores are blended using the selected momentum model.
04
Rank
Stocks are ranked from strongest to weakest relative momentum.
Default Model
Pinecone
The default model favours sustained momentum. Six-month and one-year strength carry most of the weight, while the one-month signal retains a smaller role.
Composite Z
1M Z × 10%
+ 3M Z × 0%
+ 6M Z × 50%
+ 1Y Z × 40%
Pinecone Weighting
Emphasis on sustained momentum
1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y
1M
10%
3M
0%
6M
50%
1Y
40%
This model was selected after testing 1,771 weighting combinations across 2,260 historical trading days — more than 4 million individual tests — and was identified as the most effective balance for capturing sustained medium-to-long-term momentum.
Momentum Models
Different lenses, same underlying data
Changing the model changes the weight assigned to each momentum horizon. The underlying returns and horizon-level Z-scores remain the same, while the Composite Z-score and resulting rankings change.
Pinecone Model
10 / 0 / 50 / 40
1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y
Our default model for general momentum screening. Designed to identify sustained, robust momentum across market environments without being tied to a specific horizon.
Trend Trader
0 / 0 / 55 / 45
1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y
Built for traders looking for near-term momentum continuation. Backtesting found that established 6-month and 1-year strength produced the strongest short-term momentum signals, while shorter lookbacks added little value.
Momentum Investor
15 / 15 / 50 / 20
1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y
Built for investors looking to hold momentum over longer periods. Backtesting favoured a broader mix of momentum horizons, led by 6-month strength with supporting signals from 1-month, 3-month and 1-year performance.
Equal Weight
25 / 25 / 25 / 25
1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y
A neutral benchmark that gives every momentum horizon the same importance. Useful for comparing how the specialised models differ from an unconstrained weighting approach.
Two Perspectives
Every stock gets two ranks
Overall Rank
#11/ 484
How the stock ranks against the entire eligible Nifty 500 momentum universe.
Sector Rank
#1/ 27
How the same stock ranks against other eligible stocks within its sector.
Sector Momentum
Sectors are scored independently
Pinecone does not simply average stock Z-scores. It first measures the equal-weight average raw return of the eligible stocks within each sector.
01
Constituent returns
Take every eligible stock inside the sector.
02
Equal-weight average
Calculate sector average returns for 1M, 3M, 6M and 1Y.
03
Sector Z-scores
Standardise those sector returns across all sectors.
04
Sector rank
Apply the selected weighting and rank strongest to weakest.
Momentum Confirmation
Are leaders still leading?
Pinecone compares the current day's performance of the strongest and weakest momentum cohorts.
Top 25
Strongest momentum stocks
Average 1-day return
Bottom 25
Weakest momentum stocks
Average 1-day return
The difference between the two averages is the momentum spread.
Top 100 Composition
Where is leadership concentrated?
Take overall ranks 1–100 and count how many stocks belong to each sector.
The live Sectors page shows the current composition.
Data Discipline
No fake history.
A stock needs enough genuine trading history to calculate every required momentum horizon before receiving a full momentum score and rank.
No full 1-year history?
No full momentum rank yet.
Choose the lens that fits the question.
Switching between Pinecone, Trend Trader, Momentum Investor and Equal Weight changes the importance assigned to each horizon and therefore changes the resulting stock and sector rankings.
Pinecone measures relative momentum. It does not provide buy or sell recommendations, target prices or predictions of future returns.