Risk management is one of the most fundamental concepts in trading and involves all efforts to balance the risks of a trade with its potential return. The financial markets reward participants for accepting risk, as do all different forms of financial instrument such as loans or insurance. Managing those risks means ensuring they pay a sufficient amount to compensate the potential for losses, a concept which sounds simple but can become very complex when dealing with derivatives or fluctuating market prices.
One principle of risk management used by financial traders is the risk / return ratio. This is used when setting a trade with both stop loss and take profit points predefined, and involved making sure the ratio between the two is favourable. For example, if the stop loss is 2% below the entry point, a take profit level of 4% means that the trader need only be right 50% of the time for a strategy to work. Of course, these levels must be guided by reasonable expectations drawn from technical or fundamental analysis.
Another risk management principle is accurate risk measurement. This means using different metrics such as volatility, price ranges, and value at risk to calculate the exposure of your portfolio and ensure it is in line with your overall risk strategy. When a portfolio moves too far out of the accepted range, it is important to add or close positions to bring it back within your parameters.
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