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AFSL 250900 / ASX and USA mechanical investing system

Mechanical Investing for the Decade That Matters Most

A rules-based ASX and USA stock investing system for Stage 2 and Stage 3 investors: the years where timing, discipline, and capital protection matter most.

12%+annualised ASX portfolio returns since January 2016
15 mintypical weekly process once learnt
27+ yrsmechanical system R&D by Gary Stone
Watch the PBYP Series Explore SPA3 Investor

Before you start: you need a compatible broker, market data, suitable investing capital, and time to review signals and place any required orders. The ASX live portfolio's maximum historical drawdown was -22.70%; the US live portfolio's was -36.38%. Active investing involves risk, including possible loss of capital. General information only. AFSL 250900.

Beyond Charts / SPA3 Investor
ASX stock / ATR breakout and trailing stop view
Glass box
Beyond Charts SPA3 Investor ASX chart showing ATR breakout and trailing-stop rules
ASX + USAStocks and ETFs
6-14typical positions
15mtypical weekly time
1. Enter when momentum is confirmed 2. Trail the trend while it holds 3. Exit to cash when rules fire
The risk window

There Is One Risk That No One Talks About Enough.

If a major bear market arrives just before retirement, or just after you begin drawing from savings, the damage is disproportionate. The math changes. The recovery timeline changes. The stakes change.

1

Before Retirement

Your capital is largest and your recovery window is shortest. A bad decline hurts more here than it did at 35.

2

Bear Market Hits

Drawdowns can collide with withdrawals or retirement timing, turning a temporary market event into a permanent planning problem.

3

Recovery Time

SPA3 Investor is designed to reduce exposure when trend rules break, then re-engage when new signals appear.

The last 10 years before retirement are not like the first 10. The rules change.
Fully exposedBuy-and-hold can work across decades, but Stage 2 and 3 investors do not always have decades to recover.
Too conservativeMoving to cash or bonds too early can reduce crash risk while inflation quietly erodes purchasing power.
Rules-based timingSPA3 Investor offers a third path: stay invested while trends hold, exit when system rules signal the trend is breaking.
What it is

A Rules-Based Investing System With Market Timing Built In

SPA3 Investor is a mechanical trend-following strategy for ASX and USA stocks and ETFs. It turns the core decisions into a visible process: enter, size, monitor, exit, wait.

Broad universeASX and USA stocks and ETFs.
Market timingExit rules activate when trends weaken.
Equal weightingCapital divided evenly across positions.
Cash capableCan sit out when no positions remain.
15 minutes/weekDesigned for a repeatable weekly rhythm.
Glass boxSignals and rule logic remain visible.

How SPA3 Investor works at a glance.

UniverseASX stocks, ASX ETFs, USA stocks, and USA ETFs.
Equal weightingCapital divided equally across positions, with no position bias.
ASX portfolio6-10 positions for practical diversification without complexity.
USA portfolio9-14 positions, run separately from the ASX portfolio.
Entry signalATR Breakout, with Below Action Price as an optional filter.
Exit signalsATR Trailing Stop plus seven swing chart pattern exits.
Time requiredAbout 15 minutes per week once the process is learnt.
Capital rangeDesigned for A$20,000 through to A$5,000,000+ portfolios.
Market timing

It Can Move to 100% Cash

When all positions have closed by the rules, the portfolio waits in cash until new entry signals appear.

Glass box

Every Rule Is Visible

Every entry rule, exit rule, and signal criterion is visible inside Beyond Charts before you execute.

Built for Stage 2 and 3

Not Retrofitted for Retirement

Built for investors who still need growth, but cannot ignore major drawdown risk.

Process first

Execution, Not Prediction

You cannot control the market. You can control the process you use to respond to it.

Sequence of Returns Risk

Most Investing Strategies Were Not Designed for Your Stage of Life.

A 40% decline at 35 is painful. The same decline at 60 can permanently alter the plan. SPA3 Investor does not predict bear markets; it responds when trend evidence breaks.

Path A: Fully Exposed Hope the bear market does not arrive at the wrong time.
Timing risk left open
Stays invested through the decline. Withdrawals can lock in losses. Recovery may take longer than your plan allows.
Path B: SPA3 Investor Stay invested while the trend is intact. Exit when rules fire.
Rules respond first
Participates while uptrends remain intact. Exits when the mechanical rules signal weakness. Sits in cash until new entry signals appear.
Stage 1 / 18-55Building wealth. Long time horizon. Volatility is manageable because time can do more of the recovery work.
Stage 2 / 56-65Pre-retirement. The highest-risk window for a badly timed bear market. SPA3 Investor is designed for this stage.
Stage 3 / 65+Retirement phase. Capital preservation is non-negotiable, but growth still matters because inflation does not retire.
"The greatest investing risk facing Stage 2 and 3 investors is that of Sequence of Returns Risk." - Gary Stone
Simulation data

SPA3 Investor Simulations — ASX And US, Three Windows Shown.

A simulation shows what the rules would have produced applied mechanically over the period — no overrides. Returns vary widely by start date, so the three-year, five-year, and ten-year windows are shown together rather than cherry-picked.

ASX Equal Weighted

SPA3 Investor ASX — Simulation

SPA3 Investor ASX Stocks · $100K starting capital · $9.50 brokerage fee · 9 positions · all periods end 1 June 2026.

10-year end value: $514,403.75
PeriodAnnualised returnReturn on capitalNet profitMax drawdownWin rateIndex annualised
3-Year (from 30 May 2023)4.43%13.92%$13,919.19-18.00%40.35%10.37%
5-Year (from 30 May 2021)11.83%75.07%$75,069.67-17.76%42.35%8.09%
10-Year (from 30 May 2016)17.78%414.40%$414,403.75-17.41%50.82%9.03%
SPA3 Investor ASX — simulation overview, periods ending 1 June 2026.
ASX 10-year simulation summary.
ASX 10-year simulation statistics.

This simulation is provided for transparency, not as a performance guarantee. Simulated results do not reflect actual trading and have inherent limitations. Results are specific to the period and market conditions shown and are not a reliable indicator of future returns. SPA3 is an active strategy involving risk, including possible loss of capital. General information only — not personal financial advice. Share Wealth Systems Pty Ltd holds AFSL 250900.

US Equal Weighted

SPA3 Investor US — Simulation

SPA3 Investor USA Stocks · $100K starting capital · no brokerage fee · 10 positions · all periods end 1 June 2026.

10-year end value: $709,095.08
PeriodAnnualised returnReturn on capitalNet profitMax drawdownWin rateIndex annualised
3-Year (from 30 May 2023)17.15%60.99%$60,994.91-27.46%43.40%23.40%
5-Year (from 30 May 2021)18.02%129.24%$129,242.78-22.80%48.50%14.21%
10-Year (from 30 May 2016)21.61%609.10%$609,095.08-22.85%56.11%15.66%
SPA3 Investor US — simulation overview, periods ending 1 June 2026.
US 10-year simulation summary.
US 10-year simulation statistics.

This simulation is provided for transparency, not as a performance guarantee. Simulated results do not reflect actual trading and have inherent limitations. Results are specific to the period and market conditions shown and are not a reliable indicator of future returns. SPA3 is an active strategy involving risk, including possible loss of capital. General information only — not personal financial advice. Share Wealth Systems Pty Ltd holds AFSL 250900.

Is this for you?

Built for Stage 2 and Stage 3 Investors. Not for Everyone.

This Is For

  • Investors in the 10-15 years before retirement who want growth with rules-based capital protection.
  • Retirees who cannot afford a major bear market, but also cannot afford to lose quietly to inflation.
  • People who want a structured, repeatable process instead of a daily decision.
  • Investors who can give about 15 minutes per week to a mechanical system.
  • SMSF or personal portfolio investors who want a transparent satellite growth strategy.

This Is Not For

  • Complete beginners with no brokerage or market experience.
  • Stage 1 investors under 55 seeking aggressive growth as their main objective.
  • Investors looking for passive, fully automated, zero-involvement investing.
  • Anyone who needs certainty before starting. Certainty is not available; process is.
  • Anyone unwilling to follow mechanical rules when a trade feels uncomfortable.
New users should start with a small amount of capital. The training-wheel period is for acquiring skill, not maximising immediate profit.
Live track record

SPA3 Investor Public Portfolios — Real Money, Open Book.

The public portfolios are the open-book proof: every entry, every exit, every drawdown on the record. No cherry-picking, no smoothed curves.

ASX Equal Weighted

SPA3 Investor Public Portfolio — ASX Equal Weighted

Real money, tracked openly since 31 December 2015 · As at 23 June 2026.

$220,789.82 portfolio value
$80,000.00Starting capital injected
$140,789.82Net gain
175.99%Return on capital
9 of 9Open positions, fully deployed
MetricPortfolioIndex (ASX)
Annualised return10.17%9.10%
Return on capital175.99%-
Max drawdown-22.70% (20 Jun 2022)-35.93% (23 Mar 2020)
Current drawdown-16.81%-3.51%
Risk : Reward2.233.95
  • Win rate: 37.63% — fewer than 4 in 10 trades close profitable.
  • Payoff ratio: 2.28 — average winner is 2.28x the average loser.
  • Expectancy: +0.23R per trade · Profit factor: 1.31 · 380 positions taken (143 wins / 237 losses).
  • Largest single win: $21,991.41 (+97.39%) · Largest single loss: -$8,198.34 (-33.13%) · Dividends received: $45,752.57.
SPA3 Investor ASX — real-money public portfolio in Beyond Charts.
SPA3 Investor ASX — public portfolio statistics, as at 23 June 2026.

The portfolio is -16.81% from its peak against an index drawdown of -3.51%. Drawdowns are a structural feature of any rules-based system, not a flaw. Its maximum historical drawdown of -22.70% still compares favourably with the index's worst of -35.93% during the COVID crash of March 2020.

This audited real-money public portfolio is provided for transparency, not as a performance guarantee. Results are specific to the period and market conditions shown and are not a reliable indicator of future returns. SPA3 is an active strategy involving risk, including possible loss of capital. General information only — not personal financial advice. Share Wealth Systems Pty Ltd holds AFSL 250900.

US Equal Weighted

SPA3 Investor Public Portfolio — US Equal Weighted

The same mechanical system, a different market · Tracked openly since 31 December 2015 · As at 23 June 2026.

$256,601.33 portfolio value
$70,000.00Starting capital injected
$186,601.33Net gain
266.57%Return on capital
10 of 10Open positions, fully deployed
MetricPortfolioIndex (S&P 500)
Annualised return13.19%14.95%
Return on capital266.57%-
Max drawdown-36.38% (26 Sep 2022)-33.79% (23 Mar 2020)
Current drawdown-1.75%-3.13%
Risk : Reward2.762.26
  • Win rate: 44.71% — just under half of all trades close profitable.
  • Payoff ratio: 2.07 — average winner more than double the average loser.
  • Expectancy: +0.37R per trade · Profit factor: 1.63 · 425 positions taken (190 wins / 235 losses).
  • Largest single win: $31,578.85 (+241.46%) · Largest single loss: -$5,985.71 (-43.18%) · Dividends received: $13,757.76.
SPA3 Investor US — real-money portfolio summary, as at 23 June 2026.
SPA3 Investor US — public portfolio statistics, as at 23 June 2026.

The US portfolio compounded at 13.19% p.a. against an index return of 14.95%. The index outpaced the system by roughly 1.8% per year, driven largely by S&P 500 concentration in a handful of mega-cap technology stocks. What the system delivered instead was defined risk, a +0.37R expectancy, and a process a member can follow through a bear market.

This audited real-money public portfolio is provided for transparency, not as a performance guarantee. Results are specific to the period and market conditions shown and are not a reliable indicator of future returns. SPA3 is an active strategy involving risk, including possible loss of capital. General information only — not personal financial advice. Share Wealth Systems Pty Ltd holds AFSL 250900.

How it works

The System Does Not Predict. It Responds.

Prediction is a distraction. SPA3 Investor gives you a process that responds to what the market is actually doing.

1

Scan for signals

Run the pre-set scan in Beyond Charts or use alerts to check ASX and/or USA stocks and ETFs for new entry and exit signals.

2

Enter on ATR Breakout

When a confirmed entry signal appears, you open the position. The system identifies the stock. Your job is execution.

3

Allocate equally

Each new position receives an equal share of the capital allocated to that portfolio. ASX and USA portfolios stay separate.

4

Monitor open positions

ATR Trailing Stop and swing chart pattern indicators track the stock and signal when the trend is weakening.

5

Exit on signal

When an exit fires, the trade is closed according to the rules. No hesitation. No second-guessing.

6

Sit in cash if required

If all positions close, the portfolio waits in 100% cash until new entry signals appear.

Gary Stone, founder of Share Wealth Systems
Gary StoneFounder / system R&D lead
Built by Gary Stone

30+ Years of Active Trading. 8,000+ Hours of System R&D.

Gary Stone has spent decades building rules-based systems. The edge is not knowing more than everyone else. It is having a process you can execute when others lose discipline.

Founder, Share Wealth Systems
AFSL 250900
30+ years active trading experience
8,000+ hours trading system R&D
Mark Douglas mentee
Creator of the SPA3 mechanical system family
Questions

Common Questions About SPA3 Investor

What markets does SPA3 Investor cover?

SPA3 Investor scans ASX stocks, ASX ETFs, USA stocks, and USA ETFs. Members can run an ASX-only portfolio, a USA-only portfolio, or both as separate portfolios. Research shows 6-10 positions for ASX and 9-14 positions for USA are optimal. The two markets should never be mixed in a single portfolio.

How is SPA3 Investor different from a managed fund?

Unlike a managed fund, SPA3 Investor puts you in control. You execute every trade based on mechanical rules, and you pay a flat subscription fee rather than a percentage of assets. Every rule is visible in Beyond Charts. There is no black box.

What is Sequence of Returns Risk?

It is the risk that a major bear market occurs just before or during retirement, permanently impairing your plan. SPA3 Investor uses market timing: systematic exits when trends break, to reduce exposure during high-risk periods.

How much time does it take each week?

Once learnt, approximately 15 minutes per week. You run the scan, check open positions for exit signals, check for new entry signals, and execute any required trades. The system does the analysis; your job is execution.

What if I have no prior trading experience?

SPA3 Investor can suit investors with limited market experience, but all new users are encouraged to begin with a small capital allocation during a training-wheel period. The objective at the start is to build skill and process, not maximise returns.

Your next step

Find Out If SPA3 Investor Is the Right Fit.

Start With the Free Discovery Series

Gary's 7-part PBYP Series explains the full system, the process, and whether SPA3 Investor suits your stage of life and capital. Watch the PBYP Series free — no commitment required.

Watch the PBYP Series