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REDDIT

Balancing risk with shorts - which stocks should I short?

R
Feb 3, 2026 · 15:34

I've been converting a small portion of my portfolio to short positions to balance the risk of a downturn.

Unlike stocks, which I see as long term investments, I plan on exiting my short positions in less than six months. So far I have made money buying and selling shorts in TSLA and MSFT.

Instead of buying the dip, I'm shorting the peak.

My philosophy isn't that I'm betting on a crash; I'm betting on volatility. As long as sometime in the next six months the stock dips, I can get out and make money. But if the market crashes, I make more money (and don't look at my tech stocks for a few years)

What stocks should I short? Is my plan as dumb as eating peanuts while chewing gum? Should I go to the emergency room immediately?