bear market meaning and definition

BEAR MARKET noun

Definition of bear market (noun)

1. A market condition in which the prices of securities are falling, and widespread pessimism causes the negative sentiment to be self-sustaining.
   • "During a bear market, investors often try to protect their investments by selling off risky assets."
   • "The prolonged bear market led to a lot of economic uncertainty."
   • "He started investing just as the bear market began, which meant initial losses."
2. Generally, a bear market refers to a decline of 20% or more in broad market indexes over at least a two-month period.
   • "The stock market crash led to a bear market, with the index falling more than 20% over two months."
   • "Investors often use strategies like short selling to profit during a bear market."
   • "The bear market of 2008-2009 saw a significant drop in the value of investments globally."