Percent Calc Problem

Discussion in 'Options' started by earth_imperator, May 25, 2022.

  1. Hi,
    if a short position is in the reds, say $-200, and then makes some gains so that now the position is worth $-100, then how much is this last PL change, expressed in percentage? Is it +100% or +50%?
     
    murray t turtle likes this.
  2. %%
    ITS making progress+ most likely makes a profit;
    but its still down[- negative %] .You asked 2 different question ; as far as US dollars, i figure it most likely is profitable, on the cash underlying.
    OPTIONS; i'm not going to speculate on that % or option cash value . But on a CASH ETF, or stock basket that's my % + cash comment.
    On a$1,000 position /its 20%[$ 100, then 200 gross profit total]
     
  3. SunTrader

    SunTrader

    Too little info.

    It is a percentage of X - which you haven't provided.

    X being total account balance or how much of it used for this particular trade.
     
  4. %%
    I like the way SCHW does it; on one of thier measures\ if you deposit say 10% extra cash, they call that a 10% gain LOL:D:D IF only it was that easy all the time. Speaking of cash markets i did book trade , this week my one book for 10 books , that seldom happens also even in a cash market:caution::caution:
     
    nooby_mcnoob likes this.
  5. Zwaen

    Zwaen

    Simple percentage gain/loss is always calculated from your ‘starting point’.
    r = (Pt1-Pt0)/Pt0

    so you need these 2 values to define r, without this it has no meaning
     
    ET180 and murray t turtle like this.
  6. easymon1

    easymon1

  7. I already have given them: a change of value from previously -200 to now -100.
    The problem I encountered is that when negative numbers are involved then the usual normal percent calculation formula does not work; one rather needs to apply some transformation. So I was not sure what the correct result should be. Now I think the correct result has to be the +100% (not the +50%).
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2022
  8. As others have said, you haven't provided enough information, even if you think you have.

    Let me ask you this: suppose your PL at time 1 is $25 and your PL at time 2 is $100. What is your percent change in PL? Normally we would say it is 75 / X, where X is the total account value, the amount at risk, or the notional value of the contracts, etc.

    Alternatively, you might tell me that it is 400%, representing the fact that your PL is now 4 times larger at time 2 than it was at time 1. (ie: You want the percentage gain *in PL*, not the percentage gain on the account.)

    Your answer to this will help us understand what you actually want to measure.
     
  9. easymon1

    easymon1

    If you record your first measurment at -200 then take a measurment at-100, the negative value has decreased 50%, holmes.
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    https://www.aswesawit.com/asian-toilet/
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2022
  10. +50%
     
    #10     May 25, 2022