Long position

Going long means buying an asset to profit from a rise. You make money if the price climbs above your entry, after costs.

Taking a long position is a bet on a rise. On EUR/USD, being long means buying euros against dollars: you profit if the euro strengthens. On the DAX or gold, you profit if the index or the metal goes up.

A long position opens at the ask and closes at the bid. The stop loss goes below the entry price, often under support or a recent low, and the take profit above it.

On a leveraged CFD, staying long can also cost a swap every night. Before holding a position for several days, check that cost in the symbol's specifications.

The full lessonBuying or short selling: long and short positionsLong or short position, short selling, profit and loss depending on market direction: how to make money when prices rise and fall, with worked examples.