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how to calculate profit and loss for trading position?
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month to date for the month to date (mtd), the price on feb 28th is $4.58 and the price on march 16th is $4.61 so the return is which can be written more simply as the position is 1000 shares valued at $4580 on feb 28th, so the profit on the month to date is calendar year to date for the calendar year to date (ytd), the price on dec 31st is $4.60 and the price on feb 28th is $4.58 so the return to feb 28th is the return from feb 28th to march 16th is 0.655022 % so the year to date return is or more directly so the 2011 ytd profit on 1000 shares valued at $4600 on dec 31st is year to date starting dec 10th for the year to date starting dec 10th, the starting value is and the value on dec 31st is 1000 * $4.60 = $4600 so the return is $4600 / $4510 - 1 = 0.0199557 = 1.99557 % the year to date profit is therefore note - ytd is often understood to mean calendar year to date.  to cover all the bases state both, ie "calendar ytd (2011)" and "ytd starting dec 10th 2010". edit further to comment for the calendar year to date, with 200 shares sold on jan 10th with the share price at $4.58, the return from dec 31st to jan 10th is the return from jan 10th to feb 28th is the return from feb 28th to march 16th is the profit on 1000 shares from dec 31st to jan 10th is $4600 * -0.00434783 = -$20 the profit on 800 shares from jan 10th to feb 28th is zero. the profit on 800 shares from feb 28th to march 16th is so the year to date profit is $4.
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