What is the difference between a bull market and a bear market?
A bull market is a sustained period when major stock indexes are generally rising and often making new highs, usually alongside investor optimism. A bear market is commonly defined as a drop of about 20% or more in a major index from recent highs, often with pessimism and heavier selling.
Bull markets historically tend to last longer than bear markets. The labels describe market direction and sentiment, not a guarantee about the broader economy—stocks and the economy can move differently.
Source: Fidelity — Bear vs bull market