Short selling (stocks)

"Short selling" of stocks is a way to make money from a decline in price of a stock over time.

• In other words, if the investor thinks a stock will lose value over time, the investor can make money via a "short sale"
• the concept is: "sell to open / buy to close"

1. Borrow a stock from someone else
   1. usually from a stock broker
2. "Sell to open"
   1. = Sell the stock that you have borrowed at current prices
3. "Buy to close"
   1. = Buying the stock back later at a cheaper price (hopefully)

• Steps 1. borrow stock and sell at current price 2. buy back at certain date at present value 3. pocket difference

Schematic representation of physical short selling in two steps. The short seller borrows shares and immediately sells them. The short seller then expects the price to decrease, after which the seller can profit by purchasing the shares to return to the lender. (wikipedia)