Shared conversation on NexusTrade
Top 100 Stocks by Market Cap and Momentum Strategy
A conversation about identifying top stocks by market cap in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2025, and developing a momentum-based trading strategy with rebalancing and backtesting.
User: what are the top 100 stocks by market cap as of 2018?
Aurora: Here is a summary of the top 100 stocks by market capitalization as of the last trading day of 2018. ### Top 100 Stocks by Market Cap (as of Dec 31, 2018) | Ticker | Market Cap (USD) | Price Date | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [MSFT](https://nexustrade.io/stock/MSFT) | $788,792,620,000 | 2018-12-31 | | [AAPL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AAPL) | $764,652,063,780 | 2018-12-31 | | [AMZN](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AMZN) | $752,486,970,000 | 2018-12-31 | | [GOOGL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOGL) | $735,504,206,432 | 2018-12-31 | | [GOOG](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOG) | $728,923,127,414 | 2018-12-31 | | [BRK-B](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-B) | $503,371,644,366 | 2018-12-31 | | [BRK-A](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-A) | $502,124,274,000 | 2018-12-31 | | [META](https://nexustrade.io/stock/META) | $382,618,937,500 | 2018-12-31 | | [JNJ](https://nexustrade.io/stock/JNJ) | $351,996,780,000 | 2018-12-31 | | [JPM](https://nexustrade.io/stock/JPM) | $331,574,237,220 | 2018-12-31 | | [V](https://nexustrade.io/stock/V) | $304,253,640,000 | 2018-12-31 | | [XOM](https://nexustrade.io/stock/XOM) | $291,442,191,799 | 2018-12-31 | | [WMT](https://nexustrade.io/stock/WMT) | $273,954,150,000…
User: Note: Mswing is 20 Day Rate of Change + 50 Day Rate of Change Create the following trading strategy to rebalanace this list of stocks (excluding GOOGL and BRK-A). Filter to stocks that have one of the conditions met: - We have the positions in the portfolio and mswing of the positions is less than 4 and (mswing is greater than 0 or the price is above its 50 day SMA) - Mswing is greater than the 9-day EMA of mswing
Aurora: **Description**: This portfolio implements a sophisticated rebalancing strategy based on a custom momentum indicator called "Mswing," which is defined as the sum of the 20-day and 50-day Price Rate of Change. The strategy operates on a universe of 98 large-cap stocks from the 2018 top 100 list (excluding GOOGL and BRK-A). The portfolio will rebalance monthly to hold equal weights of only the stocks that meet one of two specific conditions. The first condition acts as a filter for existing positions. It selects stocks currently held in the portfolio (`PositionValue > 0`) where the Mswing indicator is positive but showing signs of weakening (`Mswing < 4`), provided there is some underlying strength (either `Mswing > 0` or the price is above its 50-day SMA). This is designed to hold onto winners that are consolidating rather than reversing. The second condition is a pure momentum entry signal. It identifies stocks where the current Mswing is greater than its own 9-day exponential moving average, indicating that short-term momentum is accelerating. The portfolio, which starts with an initial value of $10,000, will rebalance monthly, holding only the stocks that satisfy at least one of…
User: let's limit to 7 stocks at a time
Aurora: **Description**: This portfolio updates the previous "Mswing Momentum" strategy to be more concentrated. It still uses the custom "Mswing" indicator (20-day Rate of Change + 50-day Rate of Change) to identify momentum stocks from the 2018 top 100 list (excluding GOOGL and BRK-A). The rebalancing still occurs monthly. The key change is that the portfolio will now only hold the **top 7** stocks that meet the filtering criteria at any given time. To select the "top" 7, the strategy will sort the qualifying stocks by their Mswing value in descending order, ensuring that the portfolio is concentrated in the assets with the strongest current momentum. The selected 7 stocks will be held in equal weights. The filtering logic remains the same: a stock is eligible if it's an existing position showing signs of consolidation (`PositionValue > 0 AND Mswing < 4 AND (Mswing > 0 OR Price > 50-day SMA)`) OR if its momentum is accelerating (`Mswing > 9-day EMA of Mswing`). The full list of stocks considered for rebalancing includes: MSFT, AAPL, AMZN, GOOG, BRK-B, META, JNJ, JPM, V, XOM, WMT, BAC, PFE, UNH, PG, VZ, WFC, INTC, CVX, KO, CSCO, MA, HD, MRK, BA, ORCL, DIS, T, PEP, CMCSA, ABBV, MCD, C, AB…
User: let's also try limiting to 7 and sorting by market cap descending
Aurora: **Description**: This portfolio modifies the "Mswing Momentum" strategy to prioritize larger, more established companies that meet the momentum criteria. The core filtering logic, based on the custom "Mswing" indicator (20-day Rate of Change + 50-day Rate of Change), remains the same. The strategy will still rebalance monthly and limit the portfolio to 7 stocks. The significant change is the sorting mechanism. After the strategy identifies all eligible stocks based on the Mswing momentum filters, it will now select the **7 stocks with the highest market capitalization** from that filtered group. This approach aims to combine momentum signals with the stability of large-cap stocks, holding an equal-weighted portfolio of the largest companies that are currently exhibiting strong or consolidating momentum. The filtering logic is unchanged: a stock is selected if it is an existing position showing signs of consolidation (`PositionValue > 0 AND Mswing < 4 AND (Mswing > 0 OR Price > 50-day SMA)`) OR if its momentum is accelerating (`Mswing > 9-day EMA of Mswing`). The full list of stocks considered for rebalancing includes: MSFT, AAPL, AMZN, GOOG, BRK-B, META, JNJ, JPM, V, XOM, WMT, BAC…
User: backtest these portfolios from * 01/01/2019 to 01/01/2020 * 01/01/2019 to 01/01/2021 * 01/01/2020 to 01/01/2021
Aurora: Of course. Here is the backtest configuration to run your three portfolios across the three specified date ranges.
User: what are the top 100 stocks by market cap as of 2020?
Aurora: Here is a summary of the top 100 stocks by market capitalization as of the last trading day of 2020. ### Top 100 Stocks by Market Cap (as of Dec 31, 2020) | Ticker | Market Cap (USD) | Price Date | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [AAPL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AAPL) | $2,289,767,771,490 | 2020-12-31 | | [MSFT](https://nexustrade.io/stock/MSFT) | $1,698,621,540,000 | 2020-12-31 | | [AMZN](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AMZN) | $1,667,548,160,000 | 2020-12-31 | | [GOOGL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOGL) | $1,202,049,415,803 | 2020-12-31 | | [GOOG](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOG) | $1,201,528,169,252 | 2020-12-31 | | [META](https://nexustrade.io/stock/META) | $789,705,560,000 | 2020-12-31 | | [TSLA](https://nexustrade.io/stock/TSLA) | $779,765,338,950 | 2020-12-31 | | [BABA](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BABA) | $640,618,416,250 | 2020-12-31 | | [TSM](https://nexustrade.io/stock/TSM) | $565,489,736,963 | 2020-12-31 | | [BRK-B](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-B) | $551,861,266,020 | 2020-12-31 | | [BRK-A](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-A) | $537,013,490,845 | 2020-12-31 | | [V](https://nexustrade.io/stock/V) | $482,955,840,000 | 2020-12-31 | | [JNJ](https://nexustrade.io/stock/JNJ) | $42…
User: Recreate the market cap momentum strategy using this new list of stocks. Remove BRK-A and GOOG from the list.
Aurora: **Description**: This portfolio recreates the "Mswing Momentum Rebalance (Top 7 by Market Cap)" strategy using the updated list of the top 100 stocks by market capitalization from the end of 2020. The strategy operates on this new universe of 98 stocks (excluding BRK-A and GOOG) and rebalances monthly. The core of the strategy is the custom "Mswing" indicator, defined as the sum of the 20-day and 50-day Price Rate of Change. After filtering the stock universe based on two momentum conditions, the portfolio selects the 7 stocks with the highest market capitalization from the eligible group. These 7 stocks are then held in equal weights. The filtering logic remains the same: 1. A stock is eligible if it is an existing position showing signs of consolidation (`PositionValue > 0` AND `Mswing < 4` AND (`Mswing > 0` OR `Price > 50-day SMA`)). 2. Alternatively, a stock is eligible if its momentum is accelerating (`Mswing > 9-day EMA of Mswing`). This approach combines momentum signals with the stability of large-cap stocks, creating a concentrated portfolio of the largest companies that are exhibiting strong or consolidating momentum. The portfolio starts with an initial value of $10,000…
User: backtest this new portfolio from * 01/01/2021 to 01/01/2022 * 01/01/2021 to 01/01/2023 * 01/01/2022 to 01/01/2023
Aurora: Of course. Here is the backtest configuration to run your new portfolio across the three specified date ranges.
User: what are the top 100 stocks by market cap as of 2022?
Aurora: Of course. I've pulled the data for the top 100 stocks by market capitalization as of the final trading day of 2022. Here is the list and my analysis. ### Top 100 Stocks by Market Cap (as of Dec 30, 2022) | Ticker | Market Cap (USD) | Price Date | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [AAPL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AAPL) | $2,094,272,157,450 | 2022-12-30 | | [MSFT](https://nexustrade.io/stock/MSFT) | $1,795,052,700,000 | 2022-12-30 | | [GOOG](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOG) | $1,162,096,810,000 | 2022-12-30 | | [GOOGL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOGL) | $1,155,548,310,000 | 2022-12-30 | | [AMZN](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AMZN) | $856,632,000,000 | 2022-12-30 | | [BRK-A](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-A) | $684,192,855,774 | 2022-12-30 | | [BRK-B](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-B) | $681,391,512,233 | 2022-12-30 | | [UNH](https://nexustrade.io/stock/UNH) | $502,610,640,000 | 2022-12-30 | | [DFLI](https://nexustrade.io/stock/DFLI) | $480,329,427,060 | 2022-12-30 | | [JNJ](https://nexustrade.io/stock/JNJ) | $470,118,645,000 | 2022-12-30 | | [XOM](https://nexustrade.io/stock/XOM) | $463,354,273,520 | 2022-12-30 | | [V](https://nexustrade.io/stock/V) | $439,620,160,000 | 2022-12-30 | |…
User: Recreate the market cap momentum strategy using this new list of stocks. Remove BRK-A and GOOG from the list.
Aurora: **Description**: This portfolio recreates the "Mswing Momentum Rebalance (Top 7 by Market Cap)" strategy, updating the stock universe to the top 100 companies by market capitalization as of the end of 2022. The strategy operates on this new list of 98 stocks (excluding BRK-A and GOOG) and rebalances on a monthly basis. The core of the strategy is the custom "Mswing" indicator, which is the sum of the 20-day and 50-day Price Rate of Change. The portfolio filters this universe to find stocks that meet one of two momentum-based conditions. From that filtered group, it selects the 7 stocks with the highest market capitalization and allocates an equal weight to each. The filtering logic remains consistent: 1. A stock is eligible if it is an existing position that is showing signs of consolidation (`PositionValue > 0` AND `Mswing < 4` AND (`Mswing > 0` OR `Price > 50-day SMA`)). This rule is designed to hold onto winners that are taking a brief pause rather than reversing. 2. Alternatively, a stock is eligible if its momentum is accelerating, indicated by its `Mswing` crossing above its own 9-day exponential moving average. This approach combines momentum signals with the stability of l…
User: backtest this new portfolio from * 01/01/2023 to 01/01/2025 * 01/01/2024 to 01/01/2025 * year-to-date
Aurora: Of course. Here is the backtest configuration to run your "2022 Mswing Momentum (Top 7 by Market Cap)" portfolio across the three time periods you requested.
User: What are the top 100 stocks by market cap?
Aurora: Of course. Here is the list of the top 100 stocks by market capitalization based on the most recent market data available from August 14, 2025, along with my analysis. ### Top 100 Stocks by Market Cap (as of Aug 14, 2025) | Ticker | Market Cap (USD) | Price Date | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [NVDA](https://nexustrade.io/stock/NVDA) | $4,496,986,120,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [MSFT](https://nexustrade.io/stock/MSFT) | $3,898,223,280,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [AAPL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AAPL) | $3,504,766,639,740 | 2025-08-14 | | [GOOG](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOG) | $2,505,151,620,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [GOOGL](https://nexustrade.io/stock/GOOGL) | $2,494,335,540,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [AMZN](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AMZN) | $2,492,967,140,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [META](https://nexustrade.io/stock/META) | $2,025,716,700,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [AVGO](https://nexustrade.io/stock/AVGO) | $1,505,108,280,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [TSM](https://nexustrade.io/stock/TSM) | $1,249,777,800,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [TSLA](https://nexustrade.io/stock/TSLA) | $1,181,577,180,000 | 2025-08-14 | | [BRK-B](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BRK-B) | $1,033,838,078,700 | 2025-08-14 | | [BRK-A](https://nexustrade.io/stock/BR…
User: Recreate the market cap momentum strategy using this new list of stocks. Remove BRK-A and GOOG from the list.
Aurora: **Description**: This portfolio recreates the "Mswing Momentum Rebalance (Top 7 by Market Cap)" strategy, updating the stock universe to the top 100 companies by market capitalization as of August 14, 2025. The strategy operates on this new list of 98 stocks (excluding BRK-A and GOOG) and rebalances on a monthly basis. The core of the strategy is the custom "Mswing" indicator, which is the sum of the 20-day and 50-day Price Rate of Change. The portfolio filters this universe to find stocks that meet one of two momentum-based conditions. From that filtered group, it selects the 7 stocks with the highest market capitalization and allocates an equal weight to each. The filtering logic remains consistent: 1. A stock is eligible if it is an existing position that is showing signs of consolidation (`PositionValue > 0` AND `Mswing < 4` AND (`Mswing > 0` OR `Price > 50-day SMA`)). This rule is designed to hold onto winners that are taking a brief pause rather than reversing. 2. Alternatively, a stock is eligible if its momentum is accelerating, indicated by its `Mswing` crossing above its own 9-day exponential moving average. This approach combines momentum signals with the stability of l…