What is Bull Market?

A sustained period of rising stock prices and optimism.

Formal Definition

A bull market is an extended advance in which prices trend higher, commonly marked by a rise of 20% or more from a prior low, supported by strong sentiment, expanding earnings, and healthy economic conditions. Bull markets can last years and are the mirror image of bear markets.

In Simple Terms

It is a long stretch when stocks keep climbing and investors feel confident. It is the good-times phase of the market, the opposite of a bear market.

Example

The bull market from 2009 to early 2020 lifted the S&P 500 roughly fourfold before the pandemic selloff.

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