Falling Knife
Definition of 'Falling Knife'A slang phrase for a security or industry in which the current price or value has dropped significantly in a short period of time. A falling knife security can rebound, or it can lose all of its value, such as in the case of company bankruptcy where equity shares become worthless.A falling knife situation can occur because of actual business results (such as a big drop in net earnings) or because of increasingly negative investor sentiment. |
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Investopedia explains 'Falling Knife'As the phrase suggests, buying into a market with a lot of downward momentum can be quite dangerous. If timed perfectly, a buy at the bottom of a long downtrend can be rewarding - both financially and emotionally - but the risks run extremely high. This term implies that the investment will never be a good one again. Examples of stocks that have plummeted are plentiful; a widely-held stock can drop precipitously as the equity ownership is reduced to nothing. |
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