What is a bear market?
A bear market is a sustained 20%+ decline in asset prices from recent highs, reflecting widespread pessimism and selling pressure. Caused by economic slowdowns, unemployment, falling profits, or external shocks (financial crisis, pandemics), bear markets last weeks to years—averaging 33% declines every six years. Famous examples include 1929 Depression, 2007-2009 financial crisis, and 2020 COVID crash. Response strategies include dollar-cost averaging, maintaining emergency savings, portfolio rebalancing, or shifting to defensive sectors. History shows all bear markets eventually recover, though timing varies significantly.








