A long position is an investment strategy where an individual or institution buys a security, such as stocks or commodities, with the expectation that its price will rise. This means they are taking a positive stance on the market and hope to profit from it by selling their holdings at a higher price than they paid for them later on. In contrast, a short position is when an investor sells a security in hopes of buying it back later at a lower price, profiting from the difference between the two prices.