Anchoring Effect
The anchoring effect occurs when an individual relies too heavily on an initial piece of information offered, known as the anchor, when making decisions. In trading, this often happens when a trader becomes anchored to the price at which they bought an asset, viewing it as the benchmark for future value regardless of changes in market fundamentals.
If the price drops, they may wait for it to return to their entry point rather than evaluating the asset based on its current prospects. This bias prevents rational decision-making and leads to capital inefficiency.
To overcome anchoring, traders should evaluate every position based on current market data and objective valuation models, disregarding the initial purchase price as irrelevant to future performance.