Intraday Stop Loss Meaning, Trigger Price, Order, Definition & strategy with Example
Stop loss serves as a measure that tells you how much you stand to lose on a particular trade. It’s important to calculate stop loss beforehand so you can be prepared if a trade switches it’s direction. If the price of a stock goes in the wrong direction from the expected movement, making the trade unprofitable, a stop loss order helps minimize the loss.
A stop-loss order is an order placed with a broker to buy or sell a security when it reaches a certain price. Stop-loss orders are designed to limit an investor’s loss on a position in a security and are different from stop-limit orders. When a stock falls below the stop price the order becomes a market order and it executes at the next available price. For instance, if you have bought a stock at Rs 100 and you want to limit the loss at 95, you can place an order in the system to sell the stock as soon as the stock comes to 95. Such an order is called 'Stop Loss', as you are placing it to stop a loss more than what you are ready to risk.
There are 2 types of Stop-Loss orders:
1. SL order (Stop-Loss Limit) = Price + Trigger Price
2. SL-M order (Stop-Loss Market) = Only Trigger Price
Another stop loss order type is the stop-loss limit order.
When the price of an asset reaches your stop loss price, a limit order is automatically sent by your broker to close the position at the stop loss price or a better price. Unlike the stop loss market order, which will close the trade at any price, the stop loss limit order will close it only at the stop loss price or better. This eliminates the slippage problem (which, again, isn't really a problem most of the time) but creates a bigger one: It doesn't get you out of the trade when the price is moving aggressively against you.
Traders or investors may choose to use a stop-loss order to protect their profits. It removes the risk of an order not getting executed should the stock continue to fall since it becomes a market order. A stop-limit order triggers once the price falls below the stop price; however, the order may not be executed due to the value of the limit portion of the order.
The one negative aspect of stop-loss is if a stock suddenly gaps lower below the stop price. The order would trigger, and the stock would be sold at the next available price even if the stock is trading sharply below your stop loss level.
A sell stop order refers to when a customer requests that a broker sell a security if it moves below a specified stop price. In a buy stop order, the stop price is set above the current market price.
Investors may further enhance the efficacy of their stop-loss order by combining it with a trailing stop. A trailing stop is a trade order where the stop-loss price isn't fixed at a specific dollar amount, but it is instead set at a certain percentage or dollar amount below the market price.
A stop-loss order shouldn't be placed at a random level. The ideal place for a stop-loss allows for some fluctuation but gets you out of your position if the price turns against you.
One of the simplest methods for placing a stop-loss order when buying is to put it below a "swing low." A swing low occurs when the price falls and then bounces. It shows the price found support at that level. You want to trade in the direction of the trend. As you buy, the swing lows should be moving up.
Just like when you're buying a stock, a stop-loss order on a short sell shouldn't be placed at a random level. You want to give the market that same wiggle room for fluctuation, while still protecting yourself from loss.
With short selling, as opposed to buying, a common stop-loss order falls just above a "swing high." Like a swing low finding support at a bottom price level, a swing high finds resistance at an upper price level. This occurs when the price rises and then falls. You want to trade in the direction of the trend. When looking for short trades, the swing highs should be moving down.
These aren't hard and fast rules—you don't have to place a stop-loss order above a swing high when shorting, nor do you have to place it below a swing low when buying. Depending on your entry price and strategy, you may opt to place your stop loss at an alternative spot on the price chart.
If using technical indicators, the indicator itself can be used as a stop-loss level. If an indicator provided you with a buy signal (or a "go long" signal), a stop-loss order can be placed at a price level where the indicator will no longer signal it's wise to be long.
Volatility is another common tool for traders setting stop-loss levels. An indicator such as Average True Range gives traders an idea of how much the price typically moves over time. Traders can set a stop-loss based on volatility by attempting to place a stop-loss outside of the normal fluctuations. This can be done without an indicator by measuring the typical price movements on a given day yourself, and then setting stop-losses and profit targets based on your observations.
Advantages of the Stop-Loss Order
The most important benefit of a stop-loss order is that it costs nothing to implement. Your regular commission is charged only once the stop-loss price has been reached and the stock must be sold. One way to think of a stop-loss order is as a free insurance policy.
An additional benefit of a stop-loss order is that it allows decision-making to be free from any emotional influences. People tend to "fall in love" with stocks. For example, they may maintain the false belief that if they give a stock another chance, it will come around. In actuality, this delay may only cause losses to mount.
No matter what type of investor you are, you should be able to easily identify why you own a stock. A value investor's criteria will be different from the criteria of a growth investor, which will be different from the criteria of an active trader. No matter what the strategy is, the strategy will only work if you stick to the strategy. So, if you are a hardcore buy-and-hold investor, your stop-loss orders are next to useless.
At the end of the day, if you are going to be a successful investor, you have to be confident in your strategy. This means carrying through with your plan. The advantage of stop-loss orders is that they can help you stay on track and prevent your judgment from getting clouded with emotion.
Finally, it's important to realize that stop-loss orders do not guarantee you'll make money in the stock market; you still have to make intelligent investment decisions. If you don't, you'll lose just as much money as you would without a stop-loss (only at a much slower rate).
Stop-loss orders are traditionally thought of as a way to prevent losses. However, another use of this tool is to lock in profits. In this case, sometimes stop-loss orders are referred to as a "trailing stop." Here, the stop-loss order is set at a percentage level below the current market price (not the price at which you bought it). The price of the stop-loss adjusts as the stock price fluctuates. It's important to keep in mind that if a stock goes up, you have an unrealized gain; you don't have the cash in hand until you sell. Using a trailing stop allows you to let profits run, while, at the same time, guaranteeing at least some realized capital gain.
Disadvantages of Stop-Loss Orders
One advantage of a stop-loss order is you don't have to monitor how a stock is performing daily. This convenience is especially handy when you are on vacation or in a situation that prevents you from watching your stocks for an extended period.
The main disadvantage is that a short-term fluctuation in a stock's price could activate the stop price. The key is picking a stop-loss percentage that allows a stock to fluctuate day-to-day, while also preventing as much downside risk as possible. Setting a 5% stop-loss order on a stock that has a history of fluctuating 10% or more in a week may not be the best strategy. You'll most likely just lose money on the commission generated from the execution of your stop-loss order.
There are no hard-and-fast rules for the level at which stops should be placed; it totally depends on your individual investing style. An active trader might use a 5% level, while a long-term investor might choose 15% or more.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, once you reach your stop price, your stop order becomes a market order. So, the price at which you sell may be much different from the stop price. This fact is especially true in a fast-moving market where stock prices can change rapidly. Another restriction with the stop-loss order is that many brokers do not allow you to place a stop order on certain securities like OTC Bulletin Board stocks or penny stocks.
Stop-limit orders have further potential risks. These orders can guarantee a price limit, but the trade may not be executed. This can harm investors during a fast market if the stop order triggers, but the limit order does not get filled before the market price blasts through the limit price. Both types of orders can be entered as either day or good-until-canceled (GTC) orders.
A stop-loss order is a simple tool, yet many investors fail to use it effectively. Whether to prevent excessive losses or to lock in profits, nearly all investing styles can benefit from this tool. Think of a stop-loss as an insurance policy: You hope you never have to use it, but it's good to know you have the protection should you need it.
Stop-loss levels shouldn't be placed at random locations. Where you place a stop-loss is a strategic choice that should be based on testing out and practicing multiple methods. Find out for yourself which strategy works best for you.
Establish a trading plan by defining how you will enter trades, how you will control risk, and how you will exit profitable trades. Isolating the trend direction and controlling risk on trades is of paramount concern when learning how to day trade. When starting, keep trading simple. Trade in the overall trending direction, and use a simple stop-loss strategy that allows for the price to move in your favour, but cuts your loss quickly if the price moves against you. The ultimate goal for online traders is to take advantage of price changes. By carefully using Stop Loss and Take Profit orders, you can gain better control over your deals and funds, and can both minimize risks and maximize your trading potential.
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