diff --git a/zipline/gens/composites.py b/zipline/gens/composites.py
index b3fa7576..4a74b8f6 100644
--- a/zipline/gens/composites.py
+++ b/zipline/gens/composites.py
@@ -88,6 +88,29 @@ def sequential_transforms(stream_in, *transforms):
     dt_aliased = alias_dt(stream_out)
     return add_done(dt_aliased)
 
+def sequential_transforms_dict(stream_in, transforms):
+    """
+    Apply each transform in transforms sequentially to each event in stream_in.
+    Each transform application will add a new entry indexed to the transform's
+    hash string.
+    """
+
+    assert isinstance(transforms, dict)
+
+    for tnfm in transforms.itervalues():
+        tnfm.forward_all = False
+        tnfm.update_in_place = False
+        tnfm.append_value = True
+
+    # Recursively apply all transforms to the stream.
+    stream_out = reduce(lambda stream, tnfm: tnfm.transform(stream),
+                        transforms,
+                        stream_in)
+
+    dt_aliased = alias_dt(stream_out)
+    return add_done(dt_aliased)
+
+
 def alias_dt(stream_in):
     """
     Alias the dt field to datetime on each message.
diff --git a/zipline/gens/tradegens.py b/zipline/gens/tradegens.py
index 2e8f6bea..fad8bc29 100644
--- a/zipline/gens/tradegens.py
+++ b/zipline/gens/tradegens.py
@@ -97,8 +97,9 @@ class SpecificEquityTrades(object):
         return self.__class__.__name__ + "-" + self.arg_string
 
     def create_fresh_generator(self):
-
         if self.event_list:
+            for event in self.event_list:
+                event['source_id'] = self.get_hash()
             unfiltered = (event for event in self.event_list)
 
         # Set up iterators for each expected field.
diff --git a/zipline/gens/transform.py b/zipline/gens/transform.py
index 651c337d..099fc1eb 100644
--- a/zipline/gens/transform.py
+++ b/zipline/gens/transform.py
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ class StatefulTransform(object):
             #TODO: refactor this to avoid unnecessary copying.
 
             assert_sort_unframe_protocol(message)
-            message_copy = deepcopy(message)
-
+            #message_copy = deepcopy(message)
+            message_copy = message
             # Same shared pointer issue here as above.
-            tnfm_value = self.state.update(deepcopy(message_copy))
+            tnfm_value = self.state.update(message_copy)
 
             # FORWARDER flag means we want to keep all original
             # values, plus append tnfm_id and tnfm_value. Used for
diff --git a/zipline/lines.py b/zipline/lines.py
index 2a59190f..c05c5c1c 100644
--- a/zipline/lines.py
+++ b/zipline/lines.py
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ import sys
 import zmq
 import os
 from signal import SIGHUP, SIGINT
+import datetime
+import pytz
+import pandas as pd
+import numpy as np
+
 import multiprocessing
 from setproctitle import setproctitle
 
@@ -70,6 +75,10 @@ from zipline.test_algorithms import TestAlgorithm
 from zipline.finance.trading import SIMULATION_STYLE
 from zipline.utils.log_utils import ZeroMQLogHandler, stdout_only_pipe
 from zipline.utils import factory
+from zipline.utils.factory import create_trading_environment
+from zipline.gens.tradegens import SpecificEquityTrades
+from zipline import ndict
+from zipline.protocol import DATASOURCE_TYPE
 
 from zipline.test_algorithms import TestAlgorithm
 
@@ -358,3 +367,98 @@ class SimulatedTrading(object):
         #-------------------
 
         return sim
+
+
+def create_sp_source(start_dt=None, end_dt=None):
+    if start_dt is None:
+        start_dt = datetime.datetime(2002, 1, 1, tzinfo=pytz.utc)
+    if end_dt is None:
+        end_dt = datetime.datetime(2008, 1, 1, tzinfo=pytz.utc)
+
+    sp_events, _ = factory.load_market_data()
+    sp_transformed = []
+    for event in sp_events:
+        transformed = ndict(event.to_dict())
+        if (transformed.dt < start_dt) or (transformed.dt > end_dt):
+            continue
+        transformed['sid'] = 0
+        transformed['price'] = transformed['returns']
+        transformed['type'] = DATASOURCE_TYPE.TRADE
+        sp_transformed.append(transformed)
+
+    source = SpecificEquityTrades(event_list=sp_transformed)
+
+    return source
+
+class Zipline(object):
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        algorithm = kwargs.get('algorithm', TestAlgorithm)
+        source_descrs = kwargs.get('sources', ['S&P'])
+        if isinstance(source_descrs, str):
+            source_descrs = [source_descrs]
+
+        sources = []
+        for source_descr in source_descrs:
+            if isinstance(source_descr, str):
+                if source_descr == 'S&P':
+                    source = create_sp_source()
+                else:
+                    raise NotImplementedError, "Source with name {source_descr} not known.".format(source_descr=source_descr)
+            else:
+                source = source_descr
+
+            sources.append(source)
+
+        environment = kwargs.get('environment', create_trading_environment())
+
+        try:
+            transform_descrs = kwargs.get('transforms', algorithm.registered_transforms)
+        except:
+            print "Couldn't load any registered_transforms."
+            transform_descrs = {}
+
+        # Create transforms by wrapping them into StatefulTransforms
+        transforms = []
+        for namestring, trans_descr in transform_descrs.iteritems():
+            sf = StatefulTransform(
+                trans_descr['class'],
+                *trans_descr['args'],
+                **trans_descr['kwargs']
+            )
+            sf.namestring = namestring
+
+            transforms.append(sf)
+
+        results_socket_uri = None
+        context = None
+        sim_id = None
+        style = SIMULATION_STYLE.FIXED_SLIPPAGE
+
+        self.simulated_trading = SimulatedTrading(
+            sources,
+            transforms,
+            algorithm,
+            environment,
+            style,
+            results_socket_uri,
+            context,
+            sim_id)
+
+
+    def run(self):
+        # drain simulated_trading
+        perfs = [perf for perf in self.simulated_trading]
+
+        # create daily stats dataframe
+        daily_perfs = []
+        cum_perfs = []
+        for perf in perfs:
+            if 'daily_perf' in perf:
+                daily_perfs.append(perf['daily_perf'])
+            else:
+                cum_perfs.append(perf)
+
+        daily_dts = [np.datetime64(perf['period_close'], utc=True) for perf in daily_perfs]
+        daily_stats = pd.DataFrame(daily_perfs, index=daily_dts)
+
+        return daily_stats
diff --git a/zipline/optimize/algorithms.py b/zipline/optimize/algorithms.py
index c4e3fb9d..119c0f76 100644
--- a/zipline/optimize/algorithms.py
+++ b/zipline/optimize/algorithms.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+from zipline.gens.mavg import MovingAverage
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+
 class BuySellAlgorithm(object):
     """Algorithm that buys and sells alternatingly. The amount for
     each order can be specified. In addition, an offset that will
@@ -46,3 +49,57 @@ class BuySellAlgorithm(object):
 
     def get_sid_filter(self):
         return [self.sid]
+
+# Algorithm base class, user algorithms inherit from this as they
+# don't want to have to copy and know about set_order and
+# set_portfolio
+class Algorithm(object):
+    def set_order(self, order_callable):
+        self.order = order_callable
+
+    def get_sid_filter(self):
+        return [self.sid]
+
+    def set_logger(self, logger):
+        self.logger = logger
+
+    def initialize(self):
+        pass
+
+    def add_transform(self, transform_class, tag, *args, **kwargs):
+        if not hasattr(self, 'registered_transforms'):
+            self.registered_transforms = {}
+
+        self.registered_transforms[tag] = {'class': transform_class,
+                                           'args': args,
+                                           'kwargs': kwargs}
+
+
+# Inherits from Algorithm base class
+class DMA(Algorithm):
+    """Dual Moving Average algorithm.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, sid, amount, short_window=20, long_window=40):
+        self.sid = sid
+        self.amount = amount
+        self.done = False
+        self.order = None
+        self.frame_count = 0
+        self.portfolio = None
+        self.orders = []
+        self.market_entered = False
+        self.prices = []
+        self.events = 0
+        self.add_transform(MovingAverage, 'short_mavg', ['price'], market_aware=False, delta=timedelta(days=short_window))
+        self.add_transform(MovingAverage, 'long_mavg', ['price'], market_aware=False, delta=timedelta(days=long_window))
+
+    def handle_data(self, data):
+        self.events += 1
+        # access transforms via their user-defined tag
+        if (data[self.sid].short_mavg > data[self.sid].long_mavg) and not self.market_entered:
+            self.order(self.sid, 100)
+            self.market_entered = True
+        elif (data[self.sid].short_mavg < data[self.sid].long_mavg) and self.market_entered:
+            self.order(self.sid, -100)
+            self.market_entered = False
diff --git a/zipline/optimize/example.py b/zipline/optimize/example.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0119161b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zipline/optimize/example.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+from zipline.lines import Zipline
+from zipline.optimize.algorithms import DMA
+import pandas as pd
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import cProfile
+
+def run():
+    myalgo = DMA(sid=0, amount=100)
+    zp = Zipline(algorithm=myalgo, sources='S&P')
+    stats = zp.run()
+    print stats
+    return stats
+
+
+#cProfile.run('run()')
+
+stats = run()
+stats.returns.plot()
+plt.show()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/zipline/test_algorithms.py b/zipline/test_algorithms.py
index a7881fa8..723c5fb9 100644
--- a/zipline/test_algorithms.py
+++ b/zipline/test_algorithms.py
@@ -46,6 +46,22 @@ The algorithm must expose methods:
 
 """
 
+# Algorithm base class, user algorithms inherit from this as they
+# don't want to have to copy and know about set_order and
+# set_portfolio
+class Algorithm(object):
+    def set_order(self, order_callable):
+        self.order = order_callable
+
+    def get_sid_filter(self):
+        return [self.sid]
+
+    def add_transform(self, transform_class, tag, **kwargs):
+        if not hasattr(self, 'registered_transforms'):
+            self.registered_transforms = {}
+
+        self.registered_transforms[tag] = transform_class(**kwargs)
+
 
 class TestAlgorithm():
     """