What Is the Difference Between a Buy Limit and a Sell Stop Order?

Triston Martin

Aug 29, 2022

Experienced traders often utilize more complex trade order inputs than the stock market buy/sell order. Slippage is the amount you give up to market supply and demand directions when placing a simple buy or sell market order.

In addition, brokerage platforms provide complex order types that let buyers and sellers set their pricing in the market. To avoid any possible losses due to slippage, traders can place limit orders that will trigger if and only if the market hits a specific price within a certain time frame.

Buy Limit Order

With limited orders, traders may choose their price rather than accepting the current market rate. When placing a limit order to purchase shares, a trader can name the exact price at which they wish to do so.

This is the estimated cost to enter the market. There are a few things to remember while placing a purchase limit order. A buy limit order instructs the brokerage to purchase shares at the price you specify or at a lower price if one becomes available in the market.

There is no assurance that a limit order will be filled. The order will not be carried out if the market never reaches the target price. Limit orders require more time to execute.

Sell Stop Order

A stop order placed when selling is known as a "sell stop order." Distinct from a limit order, a stop price is used to initiate the acceptance of a market order. Each sell stop order has a target price below which the order cannot be executed. A sell stop order requires the trader to choose a minimum selling price.

In contrast, to limit orders, slippage is possible with stop orders since there is often a little difference between the stop price and the subsequent market price execution.

Stop orders are generally utilized in more complex margin trading and hedging methods. When trading on leverage, a sell stop can be used to begin a short sale automatically. A sell stop protects against further loss or better control profits when the trader already owns the underlying stock.

Distinctive Features

Order type is the primary differentiator between buy limit and sales stop orders. Knowing these orders requires understanding the distinctions between a limit order and a stop order. Limit orders allow you to trade at a predetermined price.

A sell limit order will be filled at the higher of the specified limit price or the current market price. You can set a price using a limit order. A stop order requires the input of a triggering parameter.

Limits on the purchase price make a stop order ideal for margin trading or hedging. As a result, it is common practice to set a buy stop higher than the market price and a sell stops lower than the market price.

What Exactly Is A Pricing Gap?

When the price of stock suddenly jumps up or down with no intermediate trade, this is known as a price gap. It may be the result of a news report, an analyst's revised forecast, or the publication of financial results. When news or events outside trading hours cause an imbalance in supply and demand, gaps may appear at the open of significant exchanges.

Order Cancellations and Price Differences

Keep in mind that if a stop order triggers at the stated price, it will be filled at the prevailing price in the market, which might result in execution at a price much different from the stop price, but a limit order would only be filled at the set limit price or better.

If a seller sets a stop order to sell at $29, and the stock's price opens below that price, the stop order will be triggered, and the market order will execute at $25.20, which is much lower than the seller's target price.

Price Gaps And Limited Orders

As the table shows, a "gap down" can work against you when placing a stop order to sell, but a "gap up" might work in your favor when placing a limit order to sell. Here, a sell limit order is set with a $50 ceiling price.

The stock price ended the previous trading session at $47. The deal would be performed at the open of the market, at a price higher than expected and better for the seller if the stock opened at $63.00 owing to favorable news provided after the primary market's closure.

Summary

A variety of circumstances may impact trade executions. Traders can limit the price range, quantity, and duration of orders by employing a variety of order types. If you take the time to learn about the many order parameters available to you before making a trade, you'll have a better chance of getting the results you want.

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