Glossary
Drawdown
The peak-to-trough decline of a trading account or strategy before a new high is reached.
Drawdown measures how much an account loses from its highest point. Max drawdown is the largest such decline over a period. It is one of the most important risk metrics because it shows the worst losing streak an investor would have experienced.
Key Points
- Max drawdown is usually expressed as a percentage of peak equity.
- Recovery time matters: a 50% drawdown requires a 100% gain to break even.
- Compare drawdowns to your personal risk tolerance before trading live.