The 'death cross' is a technical indicator that occurs when the 50-day moving average moves below the 200-day moving average. This is generally considered a bearish signal, indicating that the long-term trend may be changing. As a result, traders may consider short positions based on this signal and other factors such as price levels and company fundamentals. However, it is important to note that seasoned investors do not blindly trade on death crosses, but use them as a signal to start looking for short positions based on other factors.