def factor_cumulative_returns(factor_data,
                              period,
                              long_short=True,
                              group_neutral=False,
                              equal_weight=False,
                              quantiles=None,
                              groups=None):
    """
    Simulate a portfolio using the factor in input and returns the cumulative
    returns of the simulated portfolio

    Parameters
    ----------
    factor_data : pd.DataFrame - MultiIndex
        A MultiIndex DataFrame indexed by date (level 0) and asset (level 1),
        containing the values for a single alpha factor, forward returns for
        each period, the factor quantile/bin that factor value belongs to,
        and (optionally) the group the asset belongs to.
        - See full explanation in utils.get_clean_factor_and_forward_returns
    period : string
        'factor_data' column name corresponding to the 'period' returns to be
        used in the computation of porfolio returns
    long_short : bool, optional
        if True then simulates a dollar neutral long-short portfolio
        - see performance.create_pyfolio_input for more details
    group_neutral : bool, optional
        If True then simulates a group neutral portfolio
        - see performance.create_pyfolio_input for more details
    equal_weight : bool, optional
        Control the assets weights:
        - see performance.create_pyfolio_input for more details
    quantiles: sequence[int], optional
        Use only specific quantiles in the computation. By default all
        quantiles are used
    groups: sequence[string], optional
        Use only specific groups in the computation. By default all groups
        are used

    Returns
    -------
    Cumulative returns series : pd.Series
        Example:
            2015-07-16 09:30:00  -0.012143
            2015-07-16 12:30:00   0.012546
            2015-07-17 09:30:00   0.045350
            2015-07-17 12:30:00   0.065897
            2015-07-20 09:30:00   0.030957
    """
    fwd_ret_cols = utils.get_forward_returns_columns(factor_data.columns)

    if period not in fwd_ret_cols:
        raise ValueError("Period '%s' not found" % period)

    todrop = list(fwd_ret_cols)
    todrop.remove(period)
    portfolio_data = factor_data.drop(todrop, axis=1)

    if quantiles is not None:
        portfolio_data = portfolio_data[portfolio_data['factor_quantile'].isin(
            quantiles)]

    if groups is not None:
        portfolio_data = portfolio_data[portfolio_data['group'].isin(groups)]

    returns = \
        factor_returns(portfolio_data, long_short, group_neutral, equal_weight)

    return cumulative_returns(returns[period], period)