Virtual Stock Market

Stop Loss Order

Due to the importance of money management to long-term successful trading, the use of a stop-loss order is imperative for any trader who wishes to succeed in the currency market. The stop-loss order allows traders to specify the maximum loss they are willing to accept on any given trade. If the market reaches the rate the trader specifies in his/her stop-loss order, then the trade will be closed immediately. As a result, the use of stop-loss orders allows you to quantify your risk every time you enter a trade.

Also known as a "stop order" or "stop-market order".

The advantage of a stop order is you don't have to monitor on a daily basis how a stock is performing. This is especially handy when you are on vacation or in a situation that prevents you from watching your stocks for an extended period of time.

A stop loss allows decision making to be free from any emotional influences. People tend to fall in love with stocks, believing that if they give a stock another chance, it will come around. This causes procrastination and delay, giving the stock yet another chance. In the meantime, the losses mount.

The disadvantage is that the stop price could be activated by a short-term fluctuation in a stock's price. The key is picking a stop-loss percentage that allows a stock to fluctuate day to day while preventing as much downside risk as possible.