This is one of the most important aspects of trading, and is pivotal in helping to protect your capital. A stop loss is an order to buy (or sell) a security/contract once the price of the security climbed above (or dropped below) a specified set price or stop price. Once this specific stop price is hit, the stop order is then triggered as a market order (no limit) or a limit order (fixed or pre-determined price).



One the key points to using a stop order is that you don't have to actively monitor how a stock is performing. This can allow you to do other things instead of being forced to monitor the trade. However because the order is triggered automatically when the stop price is reached, the stop price could be activated by a short-term fluctuation in a security's price, caused through lack of liquidity or other. Once the stop price is reached, the stop order becomes a market order or a limit order and you will be exited from this trade.

Especially when trading in a fast-moving volatile market, the price at which the trade is executed may be significantly different from the stop price in the case of a market order. Alternatively in the case of a limit order the trade may or may not get executed at all. This happens when there are no buyers or sellers available at the limit price.

TYPES OF STOP ORDERS:

Stop Loss Limit Order

The stop loss limit order is an order to buy a security at at no more or less than you set the specific prize at. This allows you the trader some control over the price at which the trade is going to be executed at, but this may prevent the order from being executed at. 
A stop loss limit order can only be executed by the exchange at the limit price or lower than you have set it at. Meaning that if the stock was to open up in the morning and 'gap down' below the prize that you set the Stop Loss Limit Order would be triggered and then enter or exit you from that particular trade that you set the price on.

What are the key advantages and disadvantages of the stop loss limit order?

ADVANTAGES of a stop loss limit order is that the trader has full control over the price at which the order is executed at, as you set the order.

DISADVANTAGES of using the stop loss limit order is that in a fast moving volatile market your stop loss order may not get executed if there are no buyers/sellers at the limit price due to rare circumstances or when a stock or trade can be illiquid.

Stop Loss Market Order

The stop loss market order is when you place an order to buy (or sell) a security or contract once the price of the security climbed above (or dropped below) a specified stop price. When the set stop price is reached, the stop order is entered as a market order (no limit). In simple terms when a stop loss market order is a order to buy or sell a security at the current market price prevailing at the time the stop order is going to trigger the order. This particular type of stop loss order gives the trader no control over the price at which the trade will be executed. This is an order to sell at the best available price after the price goes below the stop price. A sell stop price is always below the current market price. If for example you buy a stock at $1 and the set the stop at $0.90 and the price was to trade next at $0.88 then you be exited from this trade at the $0.88 A major advantage of this is that you can limit the particular loss of the trade. The main disadvantage of the stop loss market is that the trader has no control over the price at which the transaction is executed at if it is below the set price they put.

The use of stop loss orders is a great insurance policy that cost you nothing and can save you a fortune. Unless you plan to hold a stock forever, you should always use stop losses.

Happy Trading