How to calculate ROI on trades?
Quick Answer
ROI = ((Selling Price - Buying Price) ÷ Buying Price) × 100%.
Detailed Explanation
Return on Investment (ROI) measures the profitability of a trade as a percentage. The basic formula is: ROI = (Net Profit ÷ Cost of Investment) × 100. For trades, this means (Selling Price - Buying Price - Fees) ÷ Buying Price × 100. This allows comparison of returns across different position sizes and helps evaluate trading performance.
Key Points
- 1ROI = (Gain - Cost) ÷ Cost × 100
- 2Include all fees in calculation
- 3Percentage allows fair comparison
- 4Annualize for long-term trades
- 5Compare to risk-free rate
Example
Buy 100 shares at $50 ($5,000), sell at $60 ($6,000), $10 commission. ROI = ($990 ÷ $5,000) × 100 = 19.8%.
Related Questions
How does compound interest work in trading?
Compound growth in trading means reinvesting profits to grow your account exponentially rather than linearly.
What is a good risk reward ratio?
A minimum 1:2 risk-reward ratio is recommended, meaning you risk $1 to potentially make $2.
How do I calculate position size?
Position size = (Account Risk %) × Account Balance ÷ (Entry Price - Stop Loss Price).