Bull vs Bear Market

You might have heard people talking about “being in the longest bull market in history.”

And if you’re new to trading, all this lingo can be confusing.

Let me make this really easy for you.

In the next few minutes, you will learn what a Bull Market and what a Bear Market is. And I will show you a very easy way to remember this forever.

So What Does It Mean?

When people talk about bull or bear market, they talk about the direction of a market or of a stock.

  • Being bullish” means that people believe that a stock or the market is moving higher.
  • And “being bearish” means that people believe that a stock is going lower.

In the beginning, I was really confused about this.

For me, it was important to find a way to make it easy for me to memorize.

Here’s An Easy Way To Use These Terms

Bull vs Bear Market

I used a very simple analogy to memorize when to use the word “bull” and when to talk about a “bear” market.

Think about it this way:

How does a bull attack?

A bull uses its horns, charges forward and when it’s ready to attack, the bull moves its horns UP. Think about how the bull attacks a matador in a Spanish Bullfight: The bull tries to pick up the matador and throws him through the air.

On the other hand, how does a bear attack?

When a bear attacks, it stands up tall on only two legs, and then the bear uses its claws and makes a move from the top down. A bear moves this claws DOWNWARDS when it attacks.

Easy enough, right?

Just remember how bulls and bear attack, and you know what term to use for what type of market:

  • A Bull Market is a market that moves UP
  • A Bear Market is a market that moves DOWN.

How Do You Determine a Bull vs Bear Market?

Everybody has a different way to determine the direction of the market.

I personally like to use technical indicators.

I’m using Relative Strength Index (RSI), Stochastics, and the Moving Average Convergence and Divergence (MACD) to determine whether a stock is more likely to go up, down, or sideways.

If you would like to see how exactly I do this, just go to www.mytradingroutine.com

That’s a website that I set up for you, and on this website, you will find a 35-minute video that shows you exactly how I use these indicators to find the best stocks to trade.

The Most Common Used Definition Of a Bull Market vs Bear Market

When you hear the “talking heads” on the news channels talk about a bulls market or a bear market, here’s how THEY define it:

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They define a Bear Market if the market falls 20% from the most recent high.

On the other hand, here’s how a Bull Market is defined:

If prices are rising at least 20% from a most recent low, it means that we are now in a bull market again.

Short Summary

Now you know how a bull market vs bear market is defined:

  • Bull Market means that the market is going up – like a bull attacking the matador.
  • And Bear Market means that the market is going down – like a bear attack.

Now you know the lingo and know what a bull and bear market is.


Trading Futures, options on futures and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. The lower the day trade margin, the higher the leverage and riskier the trade. Leverage can work for you as well as against you; it magnifies gains as well as losses. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD flirts with daily highs, retargets 1.1900

EUR/USD flirts with daily highs, retargets 1.1900

EUR/USD regains upside traction, returning to the 1.1880 zone and refocusing its attention to the key 1.1900 barrier. The pair’s slight gains comes against the backdrop of a humble decline in the US Dollar as investors continue to assess the latest US CPI readings and the potential Fed’s rate path.

GBP/USD remains well bid around 1.3650

GBP/USD remains well bid around 1.3650

GBP/USD maintains its upside momentum in place, hovering around daily highs near 1.3650 and setting aside part of the recent three-day drop. Cable’s improved sentiment comes on the back of the Greenback’s  irresolute price action, while recent hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill also collaborate with the uptick.

USD/JPY edges up above 153.50 with all eyes on US CPI figures

USD/JPY edges up above 153.50 with all eyes on US CPI figures

USD/JPY appreciates above 153.00 but remains on track for a 2.4% weekly loss. Trading volumes remain subdued on Friday, ahead of the IS CPI release. The Yen remains supported by hopes of a stable government and calls for further BoJ tightening.


Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD: Yes, the US economy is resilient – No, that won’t save the US Dollar

EUR/USD: Yes, the US economy is resilient – No, that won’t save the US Dollar Premium

Some impressive US data should have resulted in a much stronger USD. Well, it didn’t happen. The EUR/USD pair closed a third consecutive week little changed, a handful of pips above the 1.1800 mark. 

Gold: Metals remain vulnerable to broad market mood

Gold: Metals remain vulnerable to broad market mood Premium

Gold (XAU/USD) started the week on a bullish note and climbed above $5,000 before declining sharply and erasing its weekly gains on Thursday, only to recover heading into the weekend. 

GBP/USD: Pound Sterling remains below 1.3700 ahead of UK inflation test

GBP/USD: Pound Sterling remains below 1.3700 ahead of UK inflation test Premium

The Pound Sterling (GBP) failed to resist at higher levels against the US Dollar (USD), but buyers held their ground amid a US data-busy blockbuster week.

Bitcoin: BTC bears aren’t done yet

Bitcoin: BTC bears aren’t done yet

Bitcoin (BTC) price slips below $67,000 at the time of writing on Friday, remaining under pressure and extending losses of nearly 5% so far this week.

US Dollar: Big in Japan

US Dollar: Big in Japan Premium

The US Dollar (USD) resumed its yearly downtrend this week, slipping back to two-week troughs just to bounce back a tad in the second half of the week.

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