In theory, you could keep a short position open indefinitely to take advantage of a falling market. Technically, you could be required to "buy to cover" this position if the lender demanded the shares or contracts back; however, this would be uncommon.

You must have a margin account to short stocks, and you could also be forced to close the position if you receive a margin call. Your broker will issue a margin call if the value of your account falls below a certain threshold, and the broker can liquidate any position in your portfolio without consulting you. The broker has the right to decide which positions to close, including any short positions.



Read more: How long can you short sell for? | Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/12/ho...z4PusZlFgP
Follow us: Investopedia on Facebook