The Honest Quant.
Open the Lab

Does shorting when RSI is overbought (above 70) work?

A computed answer — not an opinion. Here's what nearly two decades of honest data say.

28OUT OF 100
LIKELY A LIE

This backtest does not survive honest scrutiny. Do not trade it.

The honest verdict

We ran shorting an overbought RSI through an honest backtest — nearly two decades of survivorship-free NIFTY & BANKNIFTY data, out-of-sample, with real costs. The verdict: 27.5/100 — likely a lie. This backtest does not survive honest scrutiny. Do not trade it.

Why it scored 28

Here's where it breaks:

How we tested it

Five statistical tests, no mercy: out-of-sample decay (is the edge curve-fit?), Monte-Carlo robustness (is it just luck?), real cost & slippage survival, survivorship-bias exposure, and sample-size adequacy. Run on NIFTY 50 and BANKNIFTY — survivorship-free by construction, the most honest data available — across roughly two decades. Rules are read at each day's close and filled the next open, so the strategy can never peek at the bar it trades on.

27.5/100
Honesty score
139
Trades tested
37%
Win rate
NIFTY/BANKNIFTY · ~2 decades
Data

See the full breakdown — free

Run shorting an overbought RSI live, pick your market, and get its honest score plus all five tests in about 10 seconds — no signup needed to see the score.

Run shorting an overbought RSI now →

Frequently asked

Is shorting an overbought RSI profitable?

On a true, survivorship-free test (27.5/100, likely a lie), shorting an overbought RSI is likely a lie. A backtest looking profitable is not the same as a strategy being real — most aren't. Test your own version free at The Honest Quant.

Does shorting an overbought RSI work on the NIFTY?

This verdict was computed on NIFTY 50 and BANKNIFTY index data (survivorship-free) over nearly two decades. It scored 27.5/100 — likely a lie.

Is shorting an overbought RSI overfit?

Our overfitting test checks how much of the edge survives out-of-sample. See the full breakdown — and run your own parameters — in the lab.

Related strategies, honestly tested

buying when RSI drops below 30 · the Golden Cross · the SuperTrend indicator · the MACD crossover · buying the lower Bollinger Band · see all →

Get the monthly honest teardown

One popular strategy put on trial, in your inbox — once a month. No signals, no hype.

Educational, not financial advice. An honest backtest score measures whether a result survives statistical scrutiny — it does not predict future profit, and is not a buy or sell signal. · About · FAQ · All strategies