MAE and MFE — what it is and how to use it in trading
Definition
MAE (Maximum Adverse Excursion) is how far price moved against an open position before the trade closed; MFE (Maximum Favorable Excursion) is how far price moved in favor of the position over the same time. Both are computed per individual trade.
How it works in the builder
For each trade the backtest tracks the lowest (for a long) and highest intrabar price for the entire holding period — the difference between that price and the entry price is the MAE or MFE, depending on the direction of the deviation.
Typical use
Used to tune stop-loss and take-profit based on evidence rather than guesswork: if profitable trades typically have an MAE well below the current stop-loss, the stop can be tightened without losing those trades; if losing trades' MFE regularly exceeds the take-profit, the target can be widened. Usually visualized as a scatter plot: MAE on one axis, the trade's final result on the other.
Common pitfalls
MAE/MFE are computed from intrabar extremes in historical data — on timeframes with no tick-level data, they're based on a bar's high/low, so they can read slightly more optimistic or pessimistic than real-time execution.
This block is available in the strategy builder
137 no-code blocks — build an entry condition with this term and test it on history
Historical results do not guarantee future ones. The service is an informational and analytical tool, not an individual investment recommendation; trades are not executed.