From 51ea90c8f301c96ba8039ea2ff2670dfe289a092 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Alex Schneider <alexanderschneider@me.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:55:31 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] docs: add external sentiment signal example

---
 README.md                | 33 +++++++++++++++++
 docs/external_signals.md | 76 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 109 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 docs/external_signals.md

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6afa775c..9f04b27a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,39 @@ mc.plot()
 
 ---
 
+### External Signals & Sentiment Data
+
+QuantStats can analyze any strategy return series, including strategies built
+from external signals such as market sentiment, alternative data, or custom
+factor scores. For example, you can fetch optional sentiment snapshots from an
+external API, convert the signal into positions, and pass the resulting returns
+to QuantStats:
+
+```python
+import pandas as pd
+import quantstats as qs
+
+asset_returns = qs.utils.download_returns("TSLA")
+
+# Replace this with your own signal source. Adanos is one optional sentiment
+# API source: https://api.adanos.org/docs/
+sentiment = pd.Series(
+    data=[0.15, 0.31, -0.08],
+    index=pd.to_datetime(["2025-01-02", "2025-01-03", "2025-01-06"]),
+)
+
+signal = sentiment.reindex(asset_returns.index).ffill().fillna(0)
+positions = signal.gt(0).astype(float)
+strategy_returns = positions.shift(1).fillna(0) * asset_returns
+
+qs.reports.html(strategy_returns, "SPY")
+```
+
+See [external signal examples](./docs/external_signals.md) for a longer
+walkthrough.
+
+---
+
 ## Quick Start
 
 ```python
diff --git a/docs/external_signals.md b/docs/external_signals.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3d69a7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/external_signals.md
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# External Signal Examples
+
+QuantStats works with return series, so external datasets should be transformed
+into positions or strategy returns before they are passed into reports, plots, or
+stats functions.
+
+This keeps data fetching and signal logic outside QuantStats while preserving the
+existing API:
+
+```python
+import pandas as pd
+import quantstats as qs
+
+asset_returns = qs.utils.download_returns("TSLA")
+sentiment_signal = pd.Series(
+    data=[0.15, 0.31, -0.08],
+    index=pd.to_datetime(["2025-01-02", "2025-01-03", "2025-01-06"]),
+)
+
+aligned_signal = sentiment_signal.reindex(asset_returns.index).ffill().fillna(0)
+positions = aligned_signal.gt(0).astype(float)
+strategy_returns = positions.shift(1).fillna(0) * asset_returns
+
+qs.reports.metrics(strategy_returns, benchmark="SPY")
+qs.reports.html(strategy_returns, "SPY", output="sentiment_strategy.html")
+```
+
+The signal source is intentionally external to QuantStats. It can be a local CSV,
+a research factor, or an API response.
+
+## Optional Adanos Sentiment Signal
+
+[Adanos Market Sentiment API](https://api.adanos.org/docs/) is one optional
+source for stock sentiment and buzz snapshots from Reddit, X/Twitter, and
+Polymarket. A typical workflow is:
+
+1. Fetch the sentiment or buzz score for the tickers you are testing.
+2. Convert the sentiment into a position rule outside QuantStats.
+3. Multiply lagged positions by asset returns.
+4. Pass the resulting strategy returns into QuantStats.
+
+Example sketch:
+
+```python
+import os
+import pandas as pd
+import requests
+import quantstats as qs
+
+api_key = os.environ["ADANOS_API_KEY"]
+ticker = "TSLA"
+
+response = requests.get(
+    f"https://api.adanos.org/reddit/stocks/v1/stock/{ticker}",
+    headers={"X-API-Key": api_key},
+    params={"days": 30},
+    timeout=10,
+)
+response.raise_for_status()
+payload = response.json()
+
+sentiment = pd.Series(
+    data=[row["sentiment_score"] for row in payload["daily_trend"]],
+    index=pd.to_datetime([row["date"] for row in payload["daily_trend"]]),
+).dropna()
+
+asset_returns = qs.utils.download_returns(ticker)
+signal = sentiment.reindex(asset_returns.index).ffill().fillna(0)
+positions = signal.gt(0).astype(float)
+strategy_returns = positions.shift(1).fillna(0) * asset_returns
+
+qs.reports.html(strategy_returns, "SPY", output="adanos_sentiment_strategy.html")
+```
+
+The API key remains optional and is only needed if you choose Adanos as the
+external signal provider.