Stop Loss query

Hi there,
I placed two stop loss orders on ARB blockchain and both executed…
However the price received for the stock was way under the stop loss limit?
Both orders were different prices, but both sold for the same amount??
Looking at the chart, I don’t see the price that low?
What happened? Am I missing something?

I think a stop loss will execute at or below your limit, else in theory it could go all the way down to zero if it was left to execute at just your stop loss price.

The two prices you got would have been the best prices at that point in time, for a stock that was extremely volatile on opening this morning.

May be worth telling us the price too, as it probably did go that low (in the 80s today)

Same here, I had a stop at £1 but it went for 85p, I think the market was mayhem this morning with so much selling, they execute at best offer. I think the bid went as low as 70p at one point then bounced back. Someone on here might have level 2 data to find yours if you ask.

I’ve gone back in and doubled down :money_mouth_face:.

Been discussed before. Even for the same stock.

A stop loss is an instruction to create a sell order if the share price reaches or goes below your stop loss price. It’s not an instruction to sell for that price.

ARB reached 83.44p (actually went as low as 80.00) today when the market opened so your stop loss executed and sent an order to sell at the next best available price.

You will want to take a look over the execution policy Order Execution policy

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Hi there
Stop loss was 1.12 and 1.05. Settled at 0.85…
Someone got a bargain…
Looks like the opening price was very low…
Both executed at 08:00… according to cert…

Thanks Eden
Looks like open price was the factor…
Duly noted…

I may be wrong but my understanding is that a Limit Sell may have been a preferable option in this situation assuming your thesis was simply that you wanted to take profits / make a gain rather than needed to get out at all costs. If over the weekend you thought that BTC was dropping and you wanted to get out, you could set your Limit Sell at 1.12. Your position would only be sold at or better than 1.12 therefore it would not have been sold during the volatile period this morning, only once the price recovered (which I think it has this morning over 1.12).

Of course, unlike with the Stop Loss, if the stock were being heavily sold in the market (and no recovery was forthcoming in the short term) then you would have no protection and may be left with loss making position. Its worth saying that it appears to make sense in this scenario only to set up Limit Sell out of market hours e.g. you wouldn’t have been able to make the Limit Sell order on Friday because then it would have executed immediately.

Like you I have been burnt on Stop Losses before so now tread very carefully!

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Hi there,
Yes, you are correct I think.
Was my first time use of the options for stop loss and limit. I set 2 sells up using each option. However, I fear I should have used limit for this stock, being that it is more volatile than most…
Live and learn. Still, a profit was made as purchased at 48p.

Happens all the time with stop losses if the market moves quick and there is a spike

Happens a lot with volatile and/or illiquid stocks or if you have a tight SL before market opens.

A Stop Loss is not a perfect safety to sell at the SL price, it is just a trigger to sell at the best price as it is triggered.

Ok, obviously hadn’t realised but thanks for the day