What is a bull market example?
As an example, consider the 2009-2020 bull market, which was the longest in stock market history. After plunging as a result of the 2008 financial crisis, the S&P 500 bottomed out in March 2009 and then proceeded to climb until early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic sent stocks crashing.
Bull Market of 1982-1987: Reaganomics
For about five years, the S&P 500 generated average annual gains of 26.7%, more than double its long-term historical average. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped from 11% down to 6% during this period.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission defines a bull market as "a time when stock prices are rising and market sentiment is optimistic." More specifically, the SEC says a bull market tends to be marked by "a rise of 20% or more in a broad market index over at least a two-month period.
A bull market is when the overall rise of stocks rise around 20% for an extended period of time. Adam Gault/Getty Images.
Rank | Bull Markets | Return |
---|---|---|
1 | Tech boom bull market (1987-2000) | 582.15% |
2 | Post-financial crisis recovery bull market (2009-2020) | 400.52% |
3 | Post-World War II expansion bull market (1949-1956) | 266.35% |
4 | Reaganomics bull market (1982-1987) | 228.81% |
A bull market is commonly defined as a period of time when major stock market indexes are generally rising, with market indexes eventually reaching new highs. (Reminder: A stock market index is a collection of stocks that are tracked over time to gauge their overall performance.
But the early days of 2024 swept away this uncertainty as the S&P 500 reached its highest level ever, signaling we've been in bull territory for quite a while -- since the index started rebounding from its bear market low in late 2022.
Rather, market trackers at S&P Dow Jones Indices define a bull market as a 20% rise in the S&P 500 from its previous low. By that measure — a 20% gain off the low —the current bull market began on January 19, 2024. Note that by that measure, a bull market comes to an end when the S&P 500 falls 20% from its peak.
Declining unemployment rate: Bull markets are often marked by a declining or low unemployment, and as people have money to spend, they drive corporate profits higher. Growing economy: Bull markets also tend to coincide with periods when the economy is growing, including positive signs among key economic indicators.
The Last Bull Run: A Recap
The most recent significant bull run occurred in 2020 and extended into the early months of 2021. Cryptocurrencies, notably Bitcoin and Ethereum, experienced a surge in price, reaching unprecedented all-time highs.
Are we in a bear or bull market now?
The current bull market started in October 2022, when the S&P 500 reached its most recent low. Since then, the index has swelled about 35 percent.
Ideally, as investors see what appears to be the start of a bull market, they might buy stocks, stock mutual funds, and ETFs. As the bull market surges higher, they might consider selling some of their equity holdings. At the very least, they should continue with their normal rebalancing regimen.
With stock indexes at all-time highs, it seems we are in the midst of a new bull market. While much of the market's recent gains have come from a handful of stocks, the rally has begun to broaden in recent months. Expectations of an earnings rebound in 2024 suggest earnings could continue to drive the market higher.
The S&P 500's longest bull market lasted 11 years, from 2009 to 2020, while its shortest, beginning in October 1966, lasted just over two.
The tech boom bull market returned a stunning 582% and lasted a total of 4494 days (12 years and 4 months), making it the biggest and longest bull market ever recorded. This period of sustained growth started in 1987 and ended dramatically with the dot-com bust.
In fact, bull markets often begin when conditions appear most challenging. This highlights the importance of staying invested and making disciplined, appropriate adjustments throughout the downturns to help put you in a position to best participate in the upside as the transition to a new bull market occurs.
How long do bull markets usually last? Historically speaking, the average length of a bull market is 9.6 months. The average gain for a bull market is 112%. Keep in mind these are the average and they have been extending with each bull market.
However, the terms could come from how these animals attack: a bull thrusts its horns upward, symbolizing rising prices, while a bear swipes its paws downward, representing falling prices. Thus, a bull market is for a period of rising prices, and a “bear market” is for when prices are declining.
Trading in a bull market
So, traders will typically 'buy' (go long), meaning that they are taking a speculative position that matches the anticipation of an ongoing price climb. With this sentiment top of mind, traders could opt for long positions using leveraged derivatives such as CFDs.
Key Takeaways. While holding or moving to cash might feel good mentally and help avoid short-term stock market volatility, it is unlikely to be wise over the long term. Once you cash out a stock that's dropped in price, you move from a paper loss to an actual loss.
At what age should you get out of stock market?
Experts with the Motley Fool suggest allocating an even higher percentage to stocks until at least age 50 since 50-year-olds still have more than a decade until retirement to ride out any market volatility.
What is a bear market? While bull markets are fueled by optimism, bear markets — which occur when stock prices fall 20% or more for a sustained period of time — are just the opposite.
The average Bull Market period lasted 6.6 years with an average cumulative total return of 339%. From when the index closes at least 20% down from its previous high close, through the lowest close reached after it has fallen 20% or more.
Data source: Yardeni Research. Note: All percentages and averages have been rounded to the nearest whole number. As shown above, the S&P 500 returned an average of 184% during past bull markets, and the index realized those returns over an average of 1,964 days, or roughly 64 months.
Investment market
There are a number of factors that can contribute to a bear market, including high interest rates, inflation, political unrest, and fears of an economic recession. In contrast, bull markets are typically associated with periods of economic growth, low interest rates, and stability.
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