The Right Way To Exit A Losing Trade

Every trader has his share of bad trades in his portfolio and you do not need all your stocks to be multi-baggers to be successful in the share market. While gains from a stock have no upper limit, the loss from a stock is limited to the value invested in it. Exiting a losing stock is not only a financial loss for a trader, but also an emotional or psychological loss. It is human tendency not to accept losses readily. We have a few recommendations that will help you exit a declining trade.

Let’s take a look

• Use stops to restrict your financial losses

Stops are calculated, pre-determined price levels at which the investor chooses to go short or sell his stocks to limit losses. When the stock price hits the stop loss price, a sell order is executed and the stock is automatically sold at that price. Stop loss orders work well as they define the losses beforehand and the loss amount is in the control of the investor. Have a personalized stop loss strategy and use it effectively to limit your losses while investing in stocks.

• Keep a check on the stock even after exiting to find a re-entry point

Once you exit a position, keep an eye on it to identify any bullish indication of reversal, which can be a potential re-entry point. Using stops, you might sometimes exit your position because of price volatility. In no time, you may find the prices rising again. However, using proper stops is proven to be effective as it limits your losses in most cases. Analyze the charts, study the candlestick patterns, and re-enter, only, if it coincides with your research and not in hope or revenge. If there is no valid reason to re-enter the trade after the initial exit, walk away and search for new opportunities.

• Do not emotionally connect with your stock picks

You should accept your wrong picks and move on rather than lingering onto the stock in the hope of a rebound. You need to monitor and notice the developments around your shares continuously, and if stocks are taking the wrong direction, you will sometimes need to book losses and accept your wrong stock picks. Don’t fall in love with your shares, sell them if the fundamentals do not appear correct and restrict your losses. Booking losses or hedging them at an early stage can help minimize losses.

• Accept responsibility and analyze your mistakes and find out where your investment plan can be improved

This will help reduce the chances of the same happening again. Handling trading losses well is a leading characteristic of successful investors. Treat a failure as an opportunity to learn and improve it in your next move. Many opportunities are waiting out there in the market for you to find and grab hold of.