Long position or long refers to the purchase of an asset with the idea of profiting from a future increase in its value. Typically, a long position is established by means of buy order. The investor will profit only in case that the security increases in price. The opposite, or short-selling is where the investor hopes to make a profit by anticipating a fall in the asset’s price at which they will buy options (to then resell at a higher than negotiated price) See shorting or absolute return. Long-only managers will not involve themselves in short-selling, sticking to only the idea that stocks should be bought at a lower price and sold at a profit.