negative return

/ˈnɛɡətɪv rɪˈtɜːrn/
loss on an investment

The investor suffered a negative return on his stock portfolio last quarter.

The investor lost money on his stock investments.


Finance
technical

A financial loss or decrease in the value of an investment.

Bondholders experienced a negative return due to rising interest rates.

Bond investors lost money because interest rates increased.

The hedge fund reported a negative return of 5% for the year.

The hedge fund lost 5% of its value over the year.

Often expressed as a percentage or monetary amount.

Collocations

achieve a negative returnto experience a financial losssustain a negative returnto continue losing money on an investment

Related Phrases

positive returnphrase
a financial gain on an investment
return on investment (ROI)phrase
a measure of profitability

Pro Tip

Financial Context

Always use 'negative return' in financial contexts, not for general losses.

Gold Rule

Accuracy

Ensure the percentage or amount is clearly stated when discussing negative returns.

Word Origin

Derived from 'negative' (opposite of positive) and 'return' (financial gain or loss).

Usage Notes

Common in financial reporting, investment analysis, and economic discussions.

Word Breakdown

negative
opposite of positive
prefix
+
return
financial gain or loss
root
English Dictionary