Bull vs. Bear Market
A bull market is a sustained rise in prices; a bear market is a drop of 20% or more from recent highs. The terms capture market mood — optimism versus fear — and both are a normal part of investing that long-term investors ride through rather than try to time.
Bear markets are frequent but historically shorter than bull markets, and the market's biggest up days often cluster near the bottom — which is why selling in a panic and missing the rebound is so costly. Staying invested through cycles is what captures long-run returns.
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