When should you let go of losing stock?

Asked by: Meaghan Wiegand  |  Last update: October 8, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (60 votes)

When To Sell And Take A Loss. According to IBD founder William O'Neil's rule in "How to Make Money in Stocks," you should sell a stock when you are down 7% or 8% from your purchase price, no exceptions. Having a rule in place ahead of time can help prevent an emotional decision to hang on too long.

When should I cut my losses on a stock?

IBD recommends to cut losses at less than 8%. Then you need to track your average gains over at least 3 to 6 months & adjust. If your average gains are 10% then you need to cut losses at 5% to keep risk/reward at 1:2.

When should you exit a falling stock?

Selling a losing position early, while there is still market interest or when you don't need liquidity as much, can help avoid more significant losses, especially in volatile or declining markets.

When should I pull my money out of a stock?

You might need to sell a stock if other prospects can earn a higher return. If an investor holds onto an underperforming stock or is lagging the overall market, it may be time to sell that stock and put the money toward another investment.

When should I let go of a stock?

When you find a better stock: If you find a company whose fundamentals are better than your current stock and is giving better performance consistently, then it can be the right time to exit a stock. Moreover, this case is applicable when you do not have extra money to invest in your budget.

When Should I Sell My Losing Stock? | Investing for Beginners

39 related questions found

How do you know when to exit a stock?

You should be looking to exit a stock trade when a price trend breaks down. This is supported by technical analysis and emphasises that investors should exit regardless of the value of the trade. It is recommended that you go back to the initial reasons for entering the trade.

What is the 3 5 7 rule in stocks?

What is the 3 5 7 Rule? The 3 5 7 rule works on a simple principle: never risk more than 3% of your trading capital on any single trade; limit your overall exposure to 5% of your capital on all open trades combined; and ensure your winning trades are at least 7% more profitable than your losing trades.

When should you pull out of the stock market?

In some cases it might be smart to pull your money out of certain stocks when they reach a predetermined price (you can use a limit order to set those guardrails); when you want to buy into new opportunities; or add diversification to your portfolio.

How long will it take for the stock market to recover?

On average, it takes around five months for a correction to bottom out, but once the market reaches that point and starts to turn positive, it recovers in around four months. Stock market crashes, however, usually take much longer to fully recover.

When to sell a losing stock?

Here are four situations in which it might make sense to sell your losers—and what to consider if you plan to reinvest the proceeds.
  1. You want to realize some gains. ...
  2. You want to reduce your taxable income. ...
  3. You need the cash. ...
  4. The investment no longer fits your strategy.

What is the 7% loss rule?

Always sell a stock it if falls 7%-8% below what you paid for it. This basic principle helps you always cap your potential downside. If you're following rules for how to buy stocks and a stock you own drops 7% to 8% from what you paid for it, something is wrong.

What is the 11am rule in trading?

The 11 a.m. trading rule is a general guideline used by traders based on historical observations throughout trading history. It stipulates that if there has not been a trend reversal by 11 a.m. EST, the chance that an important reversal will occur becomes smaller during the rest of the trading day.

How do I know when to exit the market?

The decision to exit a large-cap stock should be based on reaching or nearing your financial goal. Even if your target timeframe is 1-3 years away, achieving around 90% of your goal could signal a good time to consider selling. This approach is based on the potential volatility of the equity market.

What is the 7% rule on stocks?

You should sell a stock when you are down 7% or 8% from your purchase price. For example, let's say you bought Company A's stock at $100 per share. According to the 7%-8% sell rule, you should sell the shares if the price drops to $93 or $92.

What is the 30 day rule for stock loss?

Under the wash sale rule, your loss is disallowed for tax purposes if you sell stock or other securities at a loss and then buy substantially identical stock or securities within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

At what age should you get out of the stock market?

The reality is that stocks do have market risk, but even those of you close to retirement or retired should stay invested in stocks to some degree in order to benefit from the upside over time. If you're 65, you could have two decades or more of living ahead of you and you'll want that potential boost.

Should I pull my money out of the stock market?

Key Takeaways. While holding or moving to cash might feel good mentally and help avoid short-term stock market volatility, it is unlikely to be wise over the long term. Once you cash out a stock that's dropped in price, you move from a paper loss to an actual loss.

How long did it take for the stock market to recover after 1987?

Stock markets quickly recovered a majority of their Black Monday losses. In just two trading sessions, the DJIA gained back 288 points, or 57 percent, of the total Black Monday downturn. Less than two years later, US stock markets surpassed their pre-crash highs.

What happens to stocks during a recession?

During a recession, stock values often decline. In theory, that's bad news for an existing portfolio. However, leaving investments alone means not locking in recession-related losses by selling. What's more, lower stock prices offer a solid opportunity to invest cheaply (relatively speaking).

When should I pull my stocks?

Here's a rundown of five scenarios that can justify selling a stock:
  1. Your investment thesis has changed. ...
  2. The company is being acquired. ...
  3. You need the money or soon will. ...
  4. You need to rebalance your portfolio. ...
  5. You identify opportunities to better invest your money elsewhere.

Who buys stocks when everyone is selling?

The answer is technically no. There are always as many buyers as there are sellers and that keeps the system going. If you are wondering who would want to buy stocks when the market is going down, the answer is: a lot of people.

When should you exit a stock?

Know When to Exit or Sell a Stock
  1. Declining operating performance.
  2. Government Interference.
  3. Change in Business Dynamics.
  4. Too Many Stocks in portfolio with few stocks having miniscule allocation.
  5. To sum up.

What is the 11am rule in the stock market?

The "11 am rule" refers to a guideline often followed by day traders, suggesting that they should avoid making significant trades during the first hour of trading, particularly until after 11 am Eastern Time.

What is the 70 20 10 rule in stocks?

The 70:20:10 rule helps safeguard SIPs by allocating 70% to low-risk, 20% to medium-risk, and 10% to high-risk investments, ensuring stability, balanced growth, and high returns while managing market fluctuations.

What is the 90% rule in stocks?

The Rule of 90 is a grim statistic that serves as a sobering reminder of the difficulty of trading. According to this rule, 90% of novice traders will experience significant losses within their first 90 days of trading, ultimately wiping out 90% of their initial capital.