In finance, "long" and "short" refer to investment positions or strategies:

- *Long position*: Owning an asset (stock, bond, commodity) with the expectation its value will rise. Investors buy low and sell high.

- *Short position*: Selling an asset without owning it, expecting its value will drop. Investors sell high and buy back low to profit from the decline.

These strategies involve different risks and rewards. Long positions typically involve holding assets for potential long-term gains, while short positions involve speculation on price declines.