Trading

Short selling

Selling borrowed shares in anticipation of buying them back later; losses can be substantial or theoretically unlimited.

Plain-English context

Put the definition to work.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

Selling 100 borrowed shares at $50 and covering at $40 gives $1,000 gross profit before borrowing, fees and payments owed; a rising price can create losses beyond proceeds.

IMPORTANT DISTINCTION

Gross sale proceeds do not cap losses; borrow, recalls, distributions and forced covering can change net results.

Further reading and verification. Examples are hypothetical, not current quotes or recommendations. Product terms, tax treatment and market rules can change. FINRA — order types and execution

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