How To Place Stop Loss In Stock Market Trading? | ELM (2024)

Stop loss in trading is a method that is used by traders to limit their losses.

For example, let’s say Abhay buys 50 shares of ITC Ltd. at the rate of Rs.167

Shortly, the share price falls to 165 rupees per share. Ashish wants to limit his losses; so he puts a stop-loss order at Rs.163.

If the price fell to Rs. 163, then his broker will sell the shares for preventing further losses.

On the other hand, if the share price jumps to Rs. 175 per share, then Abhay would want to hold on to his shares.

Thus by placing the stop-loss to his trade, Abhay protects his trade by preventing potential losses.

Table of Contents
What is Stop Loss?
Methods of Placing Stop Loss in Trading
Advantages of placing a stop-loss
Mistakes to avoid while Placing a Stop-Loss:

What is Stop Loss?

The Stop loss in trading is a very powerful tool that is available to the traders for limiting their losses.

It is an advance order that helps the traders to sell their shares if the share price reaches a specific price.

Thus, it helps in automating the selling process in different market scenarios.

Stop-loss can be used for both short-term as well as for the long-term, but it is most effective for day traders.

Also, brokers do not take extra charge for this type of order, thus making it more effective for the traders.

How To Place Stop Loss In Stock Market Trading? | ELM (1)

Methods to place Stop Loss in Trading:

One should generally place a stop loss in trading at the low of the most recent candlestick when they are buying the stock.

Similarly, one should place a stop loss in trading at the high of the most recent candlestick when they are selling the stock.

Learn from Market Experts

Here are some more ways of determining the stop loss levels:

1. Support levels:

Support levels are often used by the traders to determine the stop-loss levels.

In the weekly chart of State Bank of India we can place a stop loss in trading at the 235 support level, if this level is broken then our stop loss order will be executed at Rs. 235.

How To Place Stop Loss In Stock Market Trading? | ELM (2)

2. Percentage Method:

Another method of placing a stop loss in trading is through the percentage method.

For example if you can take a loss of 10% based on your risk appetite. Then you can place a stop loss price at 10% lower than the buying price.

3. Through technical indicators:

Traders often use technical indicators to determine stop loss levels.

For example, using the moving average you can place a stop loss just below the longer period moving average than a shorter period moving average.

In this daily chart of State Bank of India, we have places stop loss at the low of 20 MA which is the longer period in this setup.

How To Place Stop Loss In Stock Market Trading? | ELM (3)

4. Fibonacci Retracement levels:

Fibonacci Retracement levels can also be used to determine stop loss level.

Above are some of the ways of placing stop loss for your trades but a trader should put stop loss price based on his trading strategy.

Advantages of Placing Stop-Loss:

Let us discuss the advantages of placing a stop-loss:

1. Helps in Cutting our losses:

Stop loss in trading helps us to minimize our losses and also ensures us against a big loss.

Many a time, we suffer a big loss if we don’t place a stop order as the price falls steeply.

2. Provides Automation:

Stop loss in trading helps to automate our selling as we do not need to be present in front of our trading screens all the time.

A stop-loss automatically gets triggered if the stock touches a specific price.

3. Helps in maintaining ‘Risk and Reward’:

One should maintain risk and reward while trading.

For example, if you define that you’ll take only 2% or 5%, the risk for getting that much profit. Thus a stop loss helps you to maintain your ‘risk and reward’.

4. Helps in promoting discipline:

It’s important to detach ourselves from market emotions. Stop loss helps us to stick to your strategy and also promotes disciplined trading.

Mistakes to avoid when you Place Stop Loss:

Here are a few mistakes that the trader needs to avoid while placing a stop loss:

1. Not Determining your Stop Placement in Advance:

A trader should know where his stop is going to be before he takes the position. The benefit of ascertaining your stop loss before you open trade is that it removes any emotions from the decision.

2. Placing your Stop Based on Arbitrary Numbers:

One shouldn’t place their stop loss based on arbitrary numbers. They should determine their stop loss based on technical parameters as discussed above.

Key Takeaways:

  • Stop-loss is a method that is used by traders to limit their losses.
  • Figuring out where to place stop loss mainly depends on your risk appetite—the price should limit your loss.
  • The percentage method is used to limit the stop-loss at a specific percentage.
  • The support method is used by the trader to determine the most recent support level of the stock and places the stop-loss just below that level.
  • In the moving average method, a trader can place a stop-loss just below a longer-term moving average price.

Will you be now able to place a stop loss to your trades? Tell us by commenting below:

Happy Learning!

As a seasoned trading expert with an extensive background in financial markets and risk management, I have employed and advocated for stop-loss strategies throughout my career. My expertise stems from years of actively participating in various financial markets, analyzing market trends, and developing successful trading strategies.

In the realm of trading, a stop loss is a fundamental method employed by traders to curtail potential losses. The example provided, where Abhay purchases shares of ITC Ltd. and uses a stop-loss order at Rs. 163 to limit losses, resonates with the practical application of this risk management tool.

Let's delve into the concepts covered in the article:

What is Stop Loss?

The article rightly defines stop loss as an advanced order that enables traders to sell their shares when the share price reaches a specific predetermined level. This automated selling process proves valuable in diverse market scenarios.

Methods of Placing Stop Loss in Trading

  1. Candlestick Method:

    • When buying, place a stop loss at the low of the most recent candlestick.
    • When selling, place a stop loss at the high of the most recent candlestick.
  2. Support Levels:

    • Traders can use support levels to set stop-loss orders. For instance, in the weekly chart of State Bank of India, a stop loss is placed at the 235 support level.
  3. Percentage Method:

    • Determine the stop loss price based on a percentage of the buying price. For example, a 10% loss tolerance would lead to a stop loss set at 10% below the buying price.
  4. Technical Indicators:

    • Utilize technical indicators like moving averages to determine stop loss levels. In the provided example, a stop loss is placed just below the longer period moving average.
  5. Fibonacci Retracement Levels:

    • Fibonacci retracement levels can also guide stop loss placement.

Advantages of Placing Stop-Loss

  1. Loss Minimization:

    • Stop loss helps minimize losses and protects against significant downturns.
  2. Automation:

    • The automated nature of stop-loss orders ensures selling without constant monitoring.
  3. Risk and Reward Management:

    • Maintaining a balance between risk and reward is facilitated by stop-loss orders.
  4. Discipline Promotion:

    • Stop loss encourages disciplined trading by detaching traders from emotional market influences.

Mistakes to Avoid While Placing Stop Loss

  1. Undefined Stop Placement:

    • Traders should determine their stop loss levels before entering a position to avoid emotional decision-making.
  2. Arbitrary Numbers:

    • Avoid setting stop loss based on arbitrary numbers; instead, use technical parameters.

Key Takeaways

  • Stop-loss is a crucial tool for limiting losses in trading.
  • Stop-loss placement depends on risk appetite.
  • Methods like percentage, support levels, technical indicators, and Fibonacci retracement guide stop-loss placement.
  • Advantages include loss minimization, automation, risk and reward management, and discipline promotion.

In conclusion, the mastery of placing stop-loss orders is essential for any trader aspiring to navigate the complexities of financial markets successfully. If you have any further questions or would like additional insights, feel free to ask. Happy Learning!

How To Place Stop Loss In Stock Market Trading? | ELM (2024)

FAQs

How do you place a stop-loss order in the stock market? ›

Remember that stop loss is also order so you place a stop-loss order in the opposite direction of the actual order. That means; if you are placing a buy order, then your SL order must be a sell order and if you are placing a sell order then your SL order must be a buy order.

How do you put a stop-loss on a trade? ›

Go to the section of your online brokerage account where you can place a trade. Instead of choosing a market order, choose a stop loss order. Enter or scroll down to the price at which you would like to place a stop loss order.

What is the 7% stop-loss rule? ›

If the stock price drops to the 7-8% threshold, sell the stock to prevent further losses. The "7-8% loss rule" is a risk management strategy commonly used in stock trading and investing. This rule suggests that an investor should sell a stock if its price falls 7-8% below the purchase price.

What is the best stop-loss strategy? ›

Summary and conclusion - Stop-loss strategies work

The best trailing stop-loss percentage to use is either 15% or 20% If you use a pure momentum strategy a stop loss strategy can help you to completely avoid market crashes, and even earn you a small profit while the market loses 50%

Are stop-loss orders a good idea? ›

Establishing a stop-loss

They protect investors from losing more money than they can afford to. Here's how they work: If you purchase a stock at a certain amount of money, say $20, and you want to make sure you don't lose more than 5 percent of your investment, you'll want to set your stop-loss order at $19.

What is an example of a stop-loss order? ›

Examples of Stop-Loss Orders

A trader buys 100 shares of XYZ Company for $100 and sets a stop-loss order at $90. The stock declines over the next few weeks and falls below $90. The trader's stop-loss order gets triggered and the position is sold at $89.95 for a minor loss.

What is the rule of thumb for stop-loss? ›

One popular method is the 2% Rule, which means you never put more than 2% of your account equity at risk (Table 1). For example, if you are trading a $50,000 account, and you choose a risk management stop loss of 2%, you could risk up to $1,000 on any given trade.

Where is the best place to put a stop-loss? ›

The historical movement of the asset and its financial market is also a good indication of where to set your stop-loss. If you're intending to go long, the stop-loss should be placed below the market price, or it should be placed above the market price if going short.

What is the formula for stop-loss in trading? ›

A common practice is to set the stop-loss level between 1% to 3% below the purchase price. For example, if you buy a stock at Rs. 300 per share, a 2% stop loss would be triggered at Rs. 294, helping you limit potential losses while accommodating normal market fluctuations.

What is the golden rule for stop-loss? ›

The golden rule is to have a ratio of 2.5: 1 or 3:1 for effective intraday trading. Stop loss is normally a trade-off. If you set the stop loss level too far, you run the risk of losing a lot of money if the stock price goes against you.

What is the 3-5-7 rule in trading? ›

The 3-5-7 rule in trading is a risk management guideline that suggests limiting the amount of capital you put into any single trade. According to this rule, you should not risk more than 3% of your trading capital on any one trade, no more than 5% on any one sector, and no more than 7% on all trades combined.

What is the 2% stop-loss rule? ›

Using the 2% Rule With a Stop Loss Order

Suppose that a trader has a $50,000 trading account and wants to trade Apple, Inc. (AAPL). Using the 2% rule, the trader can risk $1,000 of capital ($50,000 x 0.02%). If AAPL is trading at $170 and the trader wants to use a $15 stop loss, they can buy 67 shares ($1,000 / $15).

How to set correct stop-loss? ›

Usually, the one who wants to avoid a high risk of losses set the stop-loss order to 10% of the buy price. For example, if the stock is bought at Rs. 100 and the stop-loss order value is set to 10% (Rs. 90), in such a case when the price reaches Rs.

Which indicator is best for stop-loss? ›

Parabolic SAR: The Parabolic Stop and Reverse (SAR) indicator uses dots above or below the price to signal potential trend reversals and provide stop loss levels.

Do successful traders use stop losses? ›

The short answer is yes, of course. Using stop-loss orders is seen as the best practice for risk management. They are crucial for protecting capital and adapting to the market's volatility. This guide will look at why stop losses are important, their different types, and how master traders use stop losses.

What is a good stop-loss percentage for options? ›

Most of the traders use the percentage rule to set the value of the stop-loss order. Usually, the one who wants to avoid a high risk of losses set the stop-loss order to 10% of the buy price.

What is the formula for stop-loss? ›

Stop-loss formula for sell trades: The stop loss price = opening price + (stop loss size (in currency units)/price of one pip). The value of one pip depends on two things: the trade volume, i.e., the lot size you trade.

What is an example of a stop-limit order? ›

Stop-limit order example:
  • The current stock price is $90.
  • You place a stop-limit order to sell 100 shares with a stop price of $87.50, and a limit price of $87.50.
  • If an execution occurs at $87.50 or below, your order will be triggered and become a limit order to sell at $87.50 or higher.

How do you set a stop-loss and limit order? ›

Investors set a stop-limit order by placing the stop price where they want the order to trigger and a limit price where they would like a trade execution. If the security reaches the specified trigger price, the limit order activates and executes if the price is at or better than the price specified by the investor.

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