The
sale of a
security or
derivative, or the state of having sold one or the other. It is important to note that a short position is not closed, and is applied only to sales where further action may be required. For example, one who has
borrowed securities and has then sold them is said to be have a short position with respect to that security, because he/she must eventually return an equivalent amount of the borrowed securities. Likewise, one who has sold (or written) an
option is in a short position, because the option may be exercised at a later date. See also:
Long position,
Close a position.