Is setting a trailing stop loss as soon as a stock hits new ATHs a prudent approach?
I can't help but see all the stocks that skyrocketed this year, only to come back a few short weeks later. Take Oracle as an example. Went from $124 to $340, and is now declining back to $200.
If Oracle reached a price of, let's say $300/share, setting a 15% stop loss would see you selling the stock at $255, avoiding the decline to $200. That's the beauty of a stop loss. Besides, you can always buy back in.
As everyone has said time and time again, you can never time the top. So wouldn't a trailing stop loss be a prudent approach to maximize profits and reduce stress, especially for those of us who don't monitor the stock market everyday?
Or would it be better to sell what you put in and let the rest ride, stress-free? Like, if you bought a stock at a lump sum of $2000 for example, and pull the $2000 out as soon as it's in the green, letting the rest ride regardless of what happens?
Thoughts?