Setting sail with trailing stops: A smarter way to lock in profits

Navigating the markets is a lot like sailing. Catch a good wind (or trend), and you can cruise smoothly for miles. But the real art isn’t just riding the wave - it’s knowing when to drop anchor before the storm hits. In trading, that means knowing when to lock in profits before the tide turns.

That’s where trailing stops come in. They help you ride a winning trade while guarding against sudden reversals. 

The challenge? 

Setting them just right - tight enough to protect your potential gains but loose enough to let your trade breathe. It’s a balancing act that every trend-following trader needs to master.

Understanding trailing stops and their role in trading

A trailing stop is a dynamic type of stop-loss order designed to protect potential profits while allowing a trade to remain open and continue gaining value as long as the market price moves in a favourable direction.

Unlike a fixed stop-loss, which stays at a set level, a trailing stop adjusts with the market price. For example, if you set a trailing stop 10 points below the current price of a rising asset, the stop level will rise as the price increases - but it won’t move back down if the price falls. This ensures you lock in potential potential profits while limiting potential losses.

Why Trailing Stops Matter:

Profit protection: They help traders secure potential gains in trending markets without manually adjusting stop levels.

Risk management: Trailing stops automate the exit strategy, helping traders avoid emotional decisions.

Flexibility: They work well in both bullish and bearish environments, adapting to market conditions in real-time.

What is a trailing stop?

So, what exactly is a trailing stop?

A trailing stop order is like a stop-loss with a built-in upgrade. While a regular stop-loss sits at a fixed price - closing your position if the market hits that level - a trailing stop moves with you when the trade goes your way. It automatically trails behind the current price at a set distance (called the trailing step) and only stops moving if the market turns against you.

Let’s break it down:

• Regular stop-loss: Set it and forget it. It stays put, no matter what the market does.
  
  
• Trailing stop: It follows the market upward (or downward, if you’re shorting), locking in potential profits as your trade gains - but stays in place if the market reverses, triggering an exit to protect you.
  

If you’re buying, the trailing stop sits below the current price. If you’re selling short, it sits above. As the price moves in your favour, the stop tag-a-longs behind it. But once the market turns and hits that stop level - your position is closed automatically, securing potential gains or limiting loss.

It’s like having a smart parachute: you ride the highs, but it’s ready to deploy the moment things drop.

How does a trailing stop work?

Think of a trailing stop as a clever, self-adjusting safety net. Once you’ve entered a trade, it moves with the market - but only in your favour - and locks in potential profits as the price rises (or falls, if you’re shorting).

Here’s how it works, step by step:

Step-by-step: Trailing stop in action

1. You enter a trade.
   Let’s say you buy a share at £100.
   
   
2. You set a trailing stop.
   You choose a trailing distance - let’s say £5.
   
   
3. The market price climbs.
   The share rises to £105. Your trailing stop moves up to £100, keeping that £5 cushion.
   
   
4. The price continues to rise.
   At £110, your stop adjusts to £105.
   
   
5. The market pulls back.
   If the price drops to £105, your stop triggers - closing the trade and locking in a £5 profit.
   

The key thing to remember is that the trailing stop only moves when the price is heading in your favour. If the price dips, it stays put - ready to get you out before things turn ugly.

Trailing amount options: Fixed vs percentage

When you’re setting up a trailing stop, you’ve got two main choices for the trailing amount:

• Fixed value
  You set a specific number of points or pounds behind the market price (e.g. £5 or 50 points).
  ✔️ Simple and straightforward
  ✔️ Ideal for markets with lower volatility
  
  
• Percentage-based
  You set the stop as a percentage of the current market price (e.g. 2%).
  ✔️ Adjusts naturally as the price changes
  ✔️ Great for higher-priced or more volatile instruments
  
  

Example:
If you place a 2% trailing stop on a share at £100, your stop starts at £98.
If the share goes up to £120, your stop trails behind at £117.60 - always 2% below the market.

Example of a trailing stop order

Let’s say you reckon the FTSE 100 is on the up, so you decide to buy in at 7,200 with a trailing stop at 7,150. This gives the market 50 points of breathing space before the stop would close your position.

Because this is a trailing stop, you’ll also choose a trailing step - that’s how much the FTSE needs to move before your stop follows it. If you set the step to 10 points, your stop will shift up by 10 points every time the market moves 10 points in your favour.

• So, when the FTSE reaches 7,210, your stop rises to 7,160.
  
  
• At 7,240, the stop follows to 7,190, and so on.
  

Now, imagine the FTSE hits a high of 7,260 before dropping back. At that point, your trailing stop would be sitting at 7,210. If the price falls below that, the stop gets triggered, closing your position and securing a tidy 10-point profit.

If you’d used a basic stop-loss instead - fixed at 7,150 - your trade would have closed there, handing you a 50-point loss, regardless of the gains in between.

Benefits of using a trailing stop

Trailing stops aren’t just a useful tool - they can completely transform how you manage trades. Whether you’re aiming to stay disciplined or just want your potential profits to be better protected, here’s why a trailing stop could be your new favourite trading sidekick:

Lock In potential profits without guesswork

One of the biggest perks? You don’t have to decide exactly when to exit. As the market moves in your favour, your trailing stop moves with it - so you can ride the trend for as long as it lasts, while still having a safety net if things reverse. No more agonising over whether to hold or close - the stop does the heavy lifting.

Reduce emotional trading

Markets can be nerve-racking. It’s tempting to panic when prices dip or hold on too long hoping for “just a bit more”. Trailing stops help take the emotion out of it by following your position logically, not impulsively. It’s like having a calm, rational trading partner who doesn’t get spooked by a bit of volatility.

Automate your exit strategy

Once you’ve set your trailing stop and trailing step, the rest is hands-off. Your position adjusts automatically - and if the market turns against you, your exit is already sorted. That’s less time glued to your screen and more time getting on with your life (or analysing your next move).

When and why to use a trailing stop

Trailing stops can be incredibly effective - but only if you use them in the right way, at the right time. Here’s how to make the most of them.

Best practices

Use them in trending markets

Trailing stops shine when there’s a clear trend. They let you ride the momentum while protecting your potential gains if the market starts to wobble.

Set a realistic trailing step

Too tight, and you’ll get stopped out by normal market noise. Too loose, and you might give back more potential profit than you’d like. A bit of testing on your chosen asset goes a long way.

Pair them with a solid strategy

Don’t rely on trailing stops as your only plan. Use them to support your strategy - not replace it.

Example trading scenarios

Buying into strength

Let’s say gold is trending higher, and you want in. You buy at £1,900 and place a £15 trailing stop. As gold climbs, your stop follows - securing potential profit if the rally loses steam.

Shorting a falling market

You think a stock is about to drop. You short it at £80 and set a 5% trailing stop above the entry. The stock keeps sliding, your stop follows, and when it bounces back up - your trade is closed in potential profit.

No time to babysit every position? A trailing stop lets you set your risk limit and walk away, knowing the exit plan is already in place.

Common mistakes to avoid

Setting the trailing step too tight

Markets breathe - if your stop is right on their shoulder, you’ll get stopped out before the real move even begins.

Using them in choppy or sideways markets

In low-volatility conditions, trailing stops can trigger prematurely. Sometimes, a regular stop-loss is a better fit.

Forgetting to adjust for volatility

One size doesn’t fit all. A 10-point trailing stop might be perfect for one market and completely useless in another. Make sure your trailing distance suits the asset’s normal price swings.

Treating them like a “set and forget” in every situation

Trailing stops help automate exits, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore your trade entirely. Keep an eye on the bigger picture.

Trailing Stops Done Right

Trailing stops are brilliant for locking in potential profits, cutting emotional trading, and adding a smart layer of automation to your strategy. Use them wisely - especially in trending markets - and they can help you stay disciplined and confident, even when things get bumpy.

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