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In financial markets, a bear market is a period during which prices fall consistently. The term most often refers to the stock market, although it can apply to other markets, including bond prices, the value of real estate, and cryptocurrencies, which have seen several severe downturns since their inception in the early 2010s.
A “bear” is an investor who expects prices to decline and positions their portfolio accordingly. The term may derive from the proverb about “selling the bearskin before one has caught the bear” or perhaps from selling when one is “bare” of stock.
Bear market vs. bull market
A bear market is generally defined as a drop of 20% or more from a recent high in a major financial benchmark such as the S&P 500. Its counterpart, the bull market, is a period of rising prices. Learn more about bull and bear markets.
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Common signs of a bear market
Bear markets often arrive with—or ahead of—economic downturns. Typical warning signs include:
Companies report lower earnings, with falling revenue or shrinking profit margins.Consumers are cutting back spending, especially on discretionary items.Job creation has slowed down or begun falling, and the unemployment rate is climbing.Traders are selling stocks or shifting to defensive assets like gold or Treasury bonds, or so-called “defensive sectors” such as consumer staples and utilities. Market volatility increases and investor sentiment turns negative.
Bear markets may be triggered by economic slowdowns, geopolitical uncertainty, or sudden shocks like financial crises or pandemics. They can last a few months or stretch over several years, depending on the underlying causes.
For example, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a rapid bear market in early 2020, but markets recovered within months. In contrast, the 2007–09 bear market, which was brought on by the global financial crisis, was much deeper and long-lasting.
Bear market strategies
Although bear markets can be unsettling, whether you’re an active trader, long-term investor, or somewhere in between, you don’t have to sit them out. Here are several strategies that can help you navigate—or even profit from—a down market:
Stay diversified. A well-balanced portfolio that includes defensive sectors, bonds and other fixed-income securities, and cash can help cushion losses during broad sell-offs.Rebalance your portfolio. Bear markets are a good time to revisit your asset allocation. If stocks have lost value, rebalancing may mean buying them at a discount.Use dollar cost averaging. This approach involves investing a set amount of money at regular intervals, regardless of market performance. It can help you buy more shares when prices are low and smooth out volatility over time.Consider long puts, covered calls, or collars. A put option gives the holder the right to sell a stock at a set price. Buying “protective” puts can act as a hedge if you’re concerned about further downside but don’t want to sell your holdings outright. Alternatively, a covered call—selling a call option on stocks you already own—can generate income even if the stock isn’t rising. A collar is the pairing of a covered call and a protective put, allowing you to use the income from the call to offset (or partially offset) the cost of the long put.  Short-sell stocks or buy inverse ETFs. More advanced traders may try to profit directly from falling prices by selling stocks short or using inverse exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These strategies involve higher risk and are typically used only with extreme caution.
The bottom line
No matter where you are in your investing journey, a bear market can test your patience and confidence. But bear markets are also a normal part of the economic cycle. Although it’s tempting to panic during a downturn, staying focused on long-term goals—and using the right tools—can make all the difference.
Investors who understand how bear markets work are better prepared to ride them out, rebalance their strategy, or even spot opportunities hidden in the fear.

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$BITCOIN #MarketRebound You’ve probably heard the old saying, “My word is my bond.” You’ve been promised something, and a deal’s a deal. That’s essentially what happens when you buy a bond (a Treasury bond, for example). The issuer (the U.S. government, in the case of a Treasury) promises to pay you a certain amount on a regular basis, and then return your money at the end of the bond’s life.Those are the bond market basics, although it’s not quite that simple in practice. Bonds come with their own jargon and terminology—principal, coupons, par value, yield, and more.Key PointsThe three basic components of a bond are its maturity, its face value, and its coupon yield.Bond prices fluctuate inversely to interest rates.A bond’s current price is determined by its yield relative to other bonds along the yield curve, its rating (as set by ratings agencies), and whether the bond is callable.It might sound daunting if you’re just starting out, but if you take it slowly—one bond term at a time—you’ll have a greater understanding of the fixed-income market, a staple of a diversified investment portfolio.That’s a promise.Basic bond termsThe word “bond” is often used to describe all types of interest-bearing securities. But in the Treasury market, short-dated ones are called “bills,” medium-term ones are “notes,” and the long ones are “bonds.” For simplicity, we’ll stick to the general ideas:Maturity. This is the date on which the bond issuer pays back everything they owe to bondholders, including the initial investment and any outstanding interest payments. After that, the bond ceases to exist. If you shop for bonds, you’ll see all sorts of maturities on offer, from one month out to 30 years or more.Face value. This is also called the bond’s par value, or principal. It’s the amount of money that will be returned to you at maturity. The most common face value is $1,000, although you might see some face values of just $100, or as much as $10,000.Coupon payment and coupon rate. The coupon is the interest payment that the issuer promises to pay you regularly until the bond reaches maturity. Expressed as an annual percentage, it’s called the coupon rate, or coupon yield. For example, suppose the coupon rate was 3% on a $1,000 bond. The issuer would pay you 3% per year, or $30. Most bonds are paid on a semiannual basis, so you would receive two coupon payments of $15, six months apart.Learn moreWho issues bonds, and what’s the difference between an AA bond and a BB- bond? Learn more about corporate, Treasury, and municipal bondsand how bond ratings work.All about bond yieldsWhen a bond is first issued in the primary market, the price is set relative to a fixed face value, say $1,000. And its yield—the rate at which interest is earned—is frequently similar to the coupon yield, 3% in our example. Easy.But bonds aren’t always held until maturity. They’re bought and sold daily on the secondary market through broker-dealers, banks, and other financial intermediaries. And when a bond changes hands in the marketplace, its price may—and likely will—deviate from its face value. That’s when the numbers (and the jargon) get tricky.Suppose that sometime after you bought that 3% coupon bond, interest rates rose to 4%. Assuming you hold your bond to maturity, nothing changes. You get $30 in annual interest payments, and at maturity, you get your principal back. But what if you want to sell your bond? If similar-dated bonds are now paying 4%, you’ll need to sell your bond at a discount to its par value in order to attract a buyer.Conversely, if interest rates were to fall below 3%, your bond would trade at a premium to its par value, which would be attractive to potential buyers.It follows that, as interest rates fluctuate, a bond’s price will move inversely to those changes. Why? Again, bonds pay a fixed coupon yield, so if interest rates in the open market move higher, the fixed coupon on an existing bond will be less attractive, so its price will fall accordingly (and vice versa). This is a tricky concept to understand, so if you’re new to bond pricing and interest rates, read this section twice.Learn moreHow are interest rates calculated, and how do they affect loans? Learn how interest rates work.Current yield and a bond calculator exampleSuppose a bond has 10 years to maturity, it pays a 3% coupon, and interest rates rise to 4%. That 3% bond would trade at a discount, say 91.89. That’s 91.89 cents on the dollar, or 91.89% of its par value of $1,000. Now let’s suppose you buy that bond at 91.89. You’d pay $918.89 for the $1,000 bond. You’ll continue to receive 3% per year in coupons. Plus, at maturity, you’ll receive $1,000, although you only paid $918.89.So the yield to maturity (YTM) for this bond would be higher than the 3% coupon yield—about 4%.BOND CALCULATOR EXAMPLE. You can calculate the approximate price (present value) of a bond by entering the current yield, face value, coupon payments, and time to maturity. For illustrative purposes only.Georgiev G.Z., "Future Value Calculator", [online] Available at: https://www.gigacalculator.com/calculators/future-value-calculator.php URL [Accessed Date: 13 Sep, 2022]. Annotations by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Billions of bonds change hands each day, and bond dealers submit competitive bids and offers that keep bond prices (and their yields) in line with current yields of comparable bonds. But there are a couple caveats:Risk. Some bonds—particularly in the corporate bond world—are riskier than others. For example, there’s a chance some bond issuers might be unable to meet their interest and principal payments. Bond ratings agencies evaluate that probability and rate the bonds accordingly. If an issuer has a low probability of making these payments, their bonds will receive lower ratings, indicating the higher risk associated with the issuer. They’ll pay higher interest rates to compensate for the added risk.Yield curve. Treasury securities (bonds, notes, and bills) track pretty closely to the yield curve, a chart of current yields from one month out to 30 years. If the curve is upward-sloping, a bond with seven years until maturity will have a higher yield than one with five years to maturity. That one will have a higher yield than one with three years to maturity, and so on.A few more bond terms and conceptsZero-coupon bonds. These bonds don’t pay coupons along the way. They’re issued at a steep discount to par value and will receive the face value when they mature, so the effective interest rate is embedded within the discount. For example, a 10-year, $1,000 zero-coupon bond might be issued at a par value of 60 (or $600). A bond calculator would give it a yield-to-maturity of 5.25%.Callable bonds. Callable bonds give the issuer the right to redeem the full par value of the bond (that is, “call” the bond) before it matures and stop making interest payments at that point. If interest rates drop and the issuer is able to borrow money more cheaply elsewhere, it might call your higher-interest bond. You’ll get your principal back, but because interest rates are lower, you’ll likely have to settle for a lower rate if you want to reinvest in a comparable maturity date. Because of this additional risk component, callable bonds typically offer a higher yield.Yield-to-call. If you invest in a callable bond, this is another concept you need to understand. The yield-to-call is the yield between now and the issuer’s first opportunity to call the bond. Suppose a bond has five years to maturity, pays a coupon of 3%, but has a call provision that kicks in six months from now. Suppose interest rates drop to 2%, and you’re considering paying a premium to buy this 3% coupon bond. First, you need to look at its yield-to-call and decide whether it’s worth paying a premium to get that rate for only six months. Most likely, the issuer will call the bond, return your principal, and pay you the six months’ worth of interest.Accrued interest. Bonds are bought and sold every day. But most of the time, coupons are paid only twice per year. Once a new coupon period starts, interest begins adding up (or “accruing”). If you buy a bond two months after the start of a coupon period, in addition to the price of the bond, you’d pay two months’ worth of accrued interest to compensate the seller for the interest they would have earned from the start of the current coupon period to the day they sold the bond to you.Compounding: Interest on your interest; returns on your investment returns.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The bottom lineBonds and other fixed-income securities are a part of a well-diversified investment portfolio. But many investors have only a shaky understanding of these bond terms and concepts. As with other investments—stocks, real estate, cryptocurrencies, and others—the more you understand, the more confident you’ll be in your portfolio choices.Once you get comfortable with the bond lingo and the basic “yield math,” investing becomes a straightforward exercise. Weigh your time horizon and risk tolerance against the bonds out there for sale, and compare yields. And consider spreading your bond investments across several maturity dates to create a “laddered” fixed-income portfolio.Finance & the EconomyFinance Basicsmoney marketeconomicsAlso known as: discount marketWritten byR.F.G. Alford,Christiaan Glasz,Hugh T. PatrickSee AllFact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle Historymoney market, a set of institutions, conventions, and practices, the aim of which is to facilitate the lending and borrowing of money on a short-term basis. The money market is, therefore, different from the capital market, which is concerned with medium- and long-term credit. The definition of money for money market purposes is not confined to bank notes but includes a range of assets that can be turned into cash at short notice, such as short-term government securities, bills of exchange, and bankers’ acceptances.(Read Milton Friedman’s Britannica entry on money.)Every country with a monetary system of its own has to have some kind of market in which dealers in short-term credit can buy and sell. The need for such facilities arises in much the same way that a similar need does in connection with the distribution of any of the products of a diversified economy to their final users at the retail level. If the retailer is to provide reasonably adequate service to his customers, he must have active contacts with others who specialize in making or handling bulk quantities of whatever is his stock-in-trade. The money market is made up of specialized facilities of exactly this kind. It exists for the purpose of improving the ability of the retailers of financial services—commercial banks, savings institutions, investment houses, lending agencies, and even governments—to do their job. It has little if any contact with the individuals or firms who maintain accounts with these various retailers or purchase their securities or borrow from them.The elemental functions of a money market must be performed in any kind of modern economy, even one that is largely planned or socialist, but the arrangements in socialist countries do not ordinarily take the form of a market. Money markets exist in countries that use market processes rather than planned allocations to distribute most of their primary resources among alternative uses. The general distinguishing feature of a money market is that it relies upon open competition among those who are bulk suppliers of funds at any particular time and among those seeking bulk funds, to work out the best practicable distribution of the existing total volume of such funds.In their market transactions, those with bulk supplies of funds or demands for them, rely on groups of intermediaries who act as brokers or dealers. The characteristics of these middlemen, the services they perform, and their relationship to other parts of the financial mechanism vary widely from country to country. In many countries there is no single meeting place where the middlemen get together, yet in most countries the contacts among all participants are sufficiently open and free to assure each supplier or user of funds that he will get or pay a price that fairly reflects all of the influences (including his own) that are currently affecting the whole supply and the whole demand. In nearly all cases, moreover, the unifying force of competition is reflected at any given moment in a common price (that is, rate of interest) for similar transactions. Continuous fluctuations in the money market rates of interest result from changes in the pressure of available supplies of funds upon the market and in the pull of current demands upon the market.Banks and the money marketCommercial banksCommercial banks are at the centre of most money markets, as both suppliers and users of funds, and in many markets a few large commercial banks serve also as middlemen. These banks have a unique place because it is their role to furnish an important part of the money supply. In some countries they do this by issuing their own notes, which circulate as part of the hand-to-hand currency. More often, however, it is checking accounts at commercial banks that constitute the major part of the country’s money supply. In either case, the outstanding supply of bank money is in continual circulation, and any given bank may at any time have more funds coming in than going out, while at another time the outflow may be the larger. It is through the facilities of the money market that these net excesses and shortages are redistributed, so that the banking system as a whole can at all times provide the means of payment required for carrying on each country’s business.In the course of issuing money the commercial banks also actually create it by expanding their deposits, but they are not at liberty to create all that they may wish whenever they wish, for the total is limited by the volume of bank reserves and by the prevailing ratio between these reserves and bank deposits—a ratio that is set by law, regulation, or custom. The volume of reserves is controlled and varied by the central bank (such as the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, or the Federal Reserve System in the U.S.), which is usually a governmental institution, is always charged with governmental duties, and almost invariably carries out a major part of its operations in the money market.InvestingPortfolio Management4 strategies for investing in AI stocksThe intelligence is artificial; the investment opportunities are real.Written byAllie Grace GarnettFact-checked byDoug AshburnWeigh the risks and rewards.© Andrey Popov/stock.adobe.comNews•Big Tech and dour data on the US job market hit Wall Street as bitcoin tumbles • Feb. 5, 2026, 2:22 PM ET(AP)Are you curious about artificial intelligence as an investment opportunity? The rise of generative AI—as embodied by tools like ChatGPT—is bringing the tech to Internet users everywhere. AI start-ups have been proliferating, and many legacy enterprises are developing significant AI capabilities.The rapid growth of artificial intelligence, coupled with high performance expectations for the sector, means that the price performance of AI stocks may be volatile. In other words, the “hot money” has been chasing the AI market since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, so a lot of future growth may already be priced into these stocks.If you’re comfortable with the potential downside risk, then it’s logical to ask: What’s the best way for your investment portfolio to get exposure to AI? There are plenty of choices, even if you don’t want to try to predict the growth trajectories of specific companies.Key PointsAI specialty companies combine AI platforms with proprietary, industry-specific applications and offer perhaps the clearest AI “pure play.”Many legacy companies, such as Microsoft and Google parent Alphabet, are already deeply involved with AI.AI-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) let you spread your risk among several potential AI winners.1. Buy stock in legacy companies with AI exposureOne way to get portfolio exposure to AI is by purchasing shares in large tech companies that are meaningfully engaged with the technology. Your exposure to AI specifically may be somewhat diluted, as these companies have other business units with their own profit and risk profiles. But this approach can benefit investors who may be more risk averse.A legacy company typically has an established market position and diversified revenue streams, providing stability for investors without compromising the company’s ability to capture AI’s upside.Not too surprisingly, the legacy organizations already heavily involved with building and distributing AI systems are technology companies. Some have their own AI products that are designed for anyone to use; others are forming important partnerships; and another category of enterprises is providing the hardware and software for AI to flourish.Three major tech companies are emerging as leaders in artificial intelligence:Google. Operating under its parent company Alphabet (GOOG), Google is a pioneer in AI, just as it began as a pioneer in Internet search. The tech behemoth has already created a generative AI chatbot called Gemini, formerly known as Bard. Google is deeply invested in AI research (that’s why it acquired DeepMind in 2014) and application, integrating artificial intelligence across its vast ecosystem of products and services. If you’ve encountered predictive text or new productivity tools while using a Google application, that’s thanks to AI.Microsoft. Software giant Microsoft (MSFT) has major exposure to artificial intelligence through its partnership with OpenAI, maker of the popular generative AI tool ChatGPT. OpenAI’s advanced software is integrated with many Microsoft products, including the search engine Bing, cloud services platform Azure, and Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Microsoft Office). Microsoft, like Google, is using AI to enable desktop productivity.NVIDIA. A legacy producer of advanced computing equipment, NVIDIA (NVDA) is providing hardware and software to drive AI development. The tech company makes graphics processing units that can rapidly process complex algorithms and large datasets, supporting machine-based deep learning and computation. NVIDIA also offers software for parallel computing and tools to accelerate AI workloads. NVIDIA’s DRIVE Thor is an AI compute platform that’s made for autonomous driving.2. Buy stock in AI companiesAnother, arguably more direct way (i.e., “pure play,” in industry lingo) to add AI exposure to your portfolio is by purchasing shares in publicly traded AI-focused companies. This investment strategy requires conducting research to identify stocks that interest you, but it may offer the most potential upside if you pick a winner.But that’s a big “if”—which is why investing in individual AI companies requires you to pay attention. Industry trends, regulatory developments, and technological advancements are all relevant to you as an investor. You’re best positioned to make smart moves with your portfolio when you have subject matter expertise that you keep current.To help jump-start your research, here are two publicly held, AI-centric software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers. They combine AI platforms with proprietary, industry-specific software solutions—think accounting, banking, health care, oil and gas services, to name a few:C3.ai (AI). With the ticker symbol “AI,” it’s clear what C3.ai offers. The company supports a comprehensive application development platform and a variety of turnkey applications, both for enterprise AI.UiPath (PATH). UiPath provides value to companies across industries by combining AI with automation. The organization uses a platform to support enterprise automation technology that’s powered by AI.There are certainly others, and considering the amount of resources (and breathless media attention) AI has been getting, we should expect even more players to join this space. But as of 2024, valuation in these companies is based on expected potential rather than on actual revenues. Most—including C3 and UiPath—have yet to turn a profit.Straddling the line between established AI leaders and AI pure plays are software platforms such as Palantir (PLTR). The company specializes in counterterrorism and cybersecurity, but its experience in finding patterns within large datasets has allowed it to explore a pivot to AI.3. Invest in companies using AI to innovateIf you’re interested in AI but not excited about adding more technology companies to your stock portfolio, then you can consider investing in companies across diversified industries that are using artificial intelligence to innovate.There are plenty of investment options if you want to pursue this strategy. Here are few:Big pharma. The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (PFE) is leveraging AI to accelerate drug discovery and development processes. The company used AI machine learning, in combination with cloud-based supercomputing, to bring its COVID-19 treatment PAXLOVID to patients faster.Heavy equipment. Best known as a tractor company, John Deere (DE) integrates AI into its agricultural machinery. In 2022 the company unveiled a fully autonomous tractor that can make real-time decisions to optimize planting, harvesting, and soil management.Apparel. The athletics company Nike (NKE) is using AI to innovate in the retail sector. Already known for its focus on digital transformation, the enterprise in 2023 partnered with IT company Cognizant (CTSH) to further integrate AI and hyper-automation into its business processes.AI is everywhere!Generative AI may be relatively new, but artificial intelligence is already driving innovation across sectors. Technology, health care, financial services, manufacturing, education, supply chain logistics, and energy are just some of the industries rapidly integrating with AI.4. Buy shares in publicly traded AI fundsIf choosing the stocks of individual companies isn’t appealing, then you can consider investing in a fund instead. Your typical options are exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds (although as of 2024 a mutual fund dedicated exclusively to AI stocks doesn’t yet exist).An exchange-traded fund with an AI focus invests in a basket of stocks to provide diversified AI exposure. As of early 2024, some of the top AI-focused ETFs by asset size include:Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ)Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (AIQ)ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF (ROBO)iShares Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Multisector ETF (IRBO)Investing in an ETF may be the most convenient way to gain AI exposure, but it can also be the most diluted. The group of companies held by a given ETF may focus only loosely on AI, so be sure to research the fund, paying special attention to its top holdings, before investing. And because fund holdings tend to shift over time, be sure to check in periodically to make sure your investments still fit your objectives and risk tolerance.The bottom lineYou don’t have to choose just one of these investment strategies. Taking a diversified approach can lower your investment risk. AI is an emerging sector that’s likely to experience plenty of volatility, so a risk-conscious approach may be smart. Before investing any of your hard-earned money, do your own research to ensure that you’re making thoughtful investment decisions.This article is intended for educational purposes only and not as an endorsement of a particular financial strategy, company, or fund. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., does not provide investment advice.InvestingEconomic DataUnderstanding consumer confidence and consumer sentiment dataWallets open or closed?Written byKarl MontevirgenFact-checked byDoug AshburnTightening belts … or buying new ones?© rh2010/stock.adobe.comEach month, two reports aim to measure the “mood” of American households regarding both their own finances and the economy at large. Because consumer mood is closely associated with spending habits, tracking consumer confidence and consumer sentiment data can help investors better understand the economic trends driving the markets.Why measure a nebulous thing like “confidence” or “sentiment” in the first place? Think about it this way. When your checking account is flush because you make more than you spend, and your portfolio is on the upswing, you might feel confident you can afford an extra restaurant meal or two a month. Or maybe you’ll decide you finally have enough spare cash to build that addition to your home or drive off in a new set of wheels.Key PointsConsumer confidence and consumer sentiment are “confidence measures” that help gauge the likelihood of future consumer spending.Both measures breathe life into economic data by giving us a glimpse into the actual “experience” behind the numbers.Confidence reports can help businesses and investors anticipate and adjust to potential future economic conditions.Although confidence and sentiment data don’t measure real actions taken to directly affect the economy—like when you make a down payment at the auto dealer—they do provide regular psychological assessments of thousands of consumers around the country to see how people feel about the current condition of their finances. The reports’ market significance lies in their power to forecast consumer spending, which drives about 70% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The quarterly GDP report is the ultimate measure of economic health, and can have a major impact on the stock and bond markets.What is the Consumer Confidence Index?The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is a monthly report that measures the financial and economic optimism of American households. Published by the Conference Board, a nonprofit economic research institution, it surveys around 5,000 households across all nine census regions in the U.S., all varying in age and income.This index provides a glimpse into the psyche of U.S. consumers, deciphering whether they’re feeling positive, negative, or neutral about their own finances and the general state of the economy (business and employment conditions) in the next six months. It also surveys people about their inflation expectations, which is important for reasons we’ll discuss below.The CCI happens to be the larger of the two confidence reports. It’s published at 10 a.m. ET on the last Tuesday of every month. You can find the latest data and a historic monthly chart at the Conference Board site.What is the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index?The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (aka “Michigan Sentiment”) also aims to measure the health of the economy from a consumer perspective. Each month, the University of Michigan conducts telephone interviews (at least 500) to gather people’s opinions on their personal finances, the business climate, inflation expectations, employment conditions, and (important here) spending.You can look at the survey by going to the University of Michigan’s survey site and clicking on Questionnaire. A preliminary report comes out early each month, followed by a final report later in the month.Similar to the Consumer Confidence Index, Michigan Sentiment paints a picture of consumers’ attitudes toward their current financial well-being and their future economic expectations. (See figure 1.)Figure 1: SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index ("Michigan Sentiment") tends to rise and fall with the times, usually turning negative ahead of each economic recession (shaded areas). For educational purposes only.Source: University of Michigan, University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment [UMCSENT], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UMCSENT, November 11, 2022A comprehensive view of economic expectationsThese two reports may differ in size and source. But their goal is more or less the same: to determine whether consumers are feeling optimistic or pessimistic about their own economic prospects.And why does that matter?It breathes life into economic data by showing us the experiences behind the numbers. It’s one thing to see the headline inflation rate as a percentage, and another thing to hear directly from consumers about whether they’re feeling pain at the gas pump and grocery store. Economic numbers can tell us whether things are good or bad, but sentiment surveys can help confirm just how good or bad, on average, those numbers feel on a real-world basis.Consumer attitudes help provide a forecast for the economy. Economic optimism and pessimism often boil down to whether people expect to feel financially secure or not in the near future. This makes both reports “causal” indicators. Households that are flush with cash are more likely to spend money on discretionary items (things they want but don’t necessarily need, like a new car or upgraded kitchen countertops) in addition to basic necessities like food and gas. Households that are feeling strained are more likely to save their money rather than spend it.So, it’s really all about spending, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Consumer spending plays a critical role in the supply and demand equation. It drives employment, production, business profits, and business investments—in short, it drives the economy at large.Deciphering the dataThe key data in each report is the so-called “headline” monthly confidence or sentiment number that reflects the researchers’ full set of measurements. For instance, the Consumer Confidence report’s headline number swung between the low 20s to as high as nearly 140 in the years between 2006 and 2022. Not surprisingly, the lowest levels occurred during the “Great Recession” of 2008–09. Confidence climbed without much pause from late 2009 until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, when it sank to five-year lows before a slight rebound.Recessions, stock market weakness, geopolitical events, and even pandemics (as we now know) can affect consumer confidence. By comparing the current month’s figure with past performance, you can get a sense of where it lies on the continuum of consumer psychology. It’s also helpful to watch trends. Has the headline figure fallen or risen over the last few months? Trends can give you insight into how consumer feelings develop over time.Don’t forget to look beyond the headlines. Both reports provide helpful hints about what consumers expect in the months and years ahead. When inflation soared in 2021 and 2022, the reports’ inflation projections grew in significance.One fear economists have is that inflation expectations can become “entrenched,” meaning consumers expect prices to keep rising sharply for many years ahead. This can lead to people demanding higher wages, forcing businesses to pay them more and then to raise prices so they can afford the higher salaries. This is known as a wage-price spiral, and it’s something the U.S. Federal Reserve tries hard to avoid. The Confidence and Sentiment reports can sometimes offer an early warning.The Michigan Sentiment report is also interesting for its breakdown of sentiment among different people across the economy. For instance, it often compares sentiment of Republicans versus Democrats versus independents. Each sentiment report is accompanied by a statement from the survey’s chief economist, which is worth reading for its general insights about how consumers feel.The bottom lineConfidence measures provide key perspectives on the economy. They offer unique insights into the current state of the economy “as experienced,” and they indicate the potential for future spending. Additionally, they provide insight into consumers’ expectations for inflation.There’s a lag time between these reports and their potential effects. They’re viewed as “leading indicators” that can help predict the near- to intermediate-term future of the economy. That’s why business leaders and investors pay close attention to these measures as they try to read the economy’s future course.ReferencesGraphing GDP Components with Our New Release View | fredblog.stlouisfed.orgU.S. Consumer Confidence | conference-board.orgBusiness Cycle Indicators Handbook | conference-board.orgConsumer Confidence Surveys: Do They Boost Forecasters’ Confidence? | stlouisfed.orgFinance & the EconomyFinance Basicsbull marketeconomicsWritten byDoug AshburnFact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle HistoryThe constant battle between charging bulls and growling bears.© adventtr—iStock/Getty ImagesIn financial markets, a bull market is a period during which prices are rising consistently. The term refers most often to the stock market, although it can also apply to other securities and commodities. A “bull” is an investor who’s optimistic, confident, and expects that the good times will keep rolling.Bull market vs bear marketThere’s no official rule as to what defines a bull market, but in general, market analysts and pundits define it as a gain of 20% or more from a recent low in a major financial benchmark such as the S&P 500. Its counterpart, a bear market, is one in which prices have fallen 20% from a recent high. Learn more about bull and bear markets.Common signs of a bull marketA bullish stock market usually occurs during the growth phase of the economic cycle.Companies are turning profits and corporate earnings metrics such as the price-to-equity (P/E) ratio are rising.Consumers are spending, especially on big-ticket items such as houses and automobiles. Job growth is steady, with company payrolls expanding and the unemployment rate falling.Active traders (e.g., those who use technical analysis to spot market trends) are buying on positive momentum, with many buying on margin (i.e., with borrowed money).These phenomena create a feedback loop: Good news fuels investor enthusiasm, which drives more buying and higher prices.Bull markets can last for months or even years. The U.S. experienced its longest bull market from 2009 (after the financial crisis of 2007–08) to early 2020 (when the bull market was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic). It was driven by a post-recession recovery, low interest rates, and expanding tech companies.What ends a bull market?There’s an old Wall Street adage that “bull markets don’t die of old age; they die of fright.” Although that’s not universally true, there are a few things that have historically spelled the end of a bull cycle:Higher interest rates, perhaps triggered by a spike in inflationAn economic slowdown, which can trigger layoffs, business closures, and decreased consumer spendingA global shock or unexpected event, such as a war, pandemic, or the popping of an economic bubbleNot coincidentally, these are among the fundamental causes of a bear market.Bull market strategiesWhen the market is trending upward, investors often look for ways to make the most of the momentum. Here are a few common strategies in bull markets:Buy and hold. Sometimes the simplest strategy wins. In a long bull market, holding a portfolio of index funds or other broad-based investments and letting compounding do its work can be just as effective as trading more complex strategies.Buy the dip. In a strong bull market, short-term pullbacks can be an opportunity—not a red flag. Some investors use these temporary drops to add to their positions, expecting prices to bounce back. This strategy relies on the idea that the overall trend is still upward, even if the market takes a breather.Buy call options. A call option gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy the underlying stock at a set price by a set date. A long call option allows you to participate in a bull market move, but limits your downside exposure should the bull turn to bear. Sell cash-secured puts. Some options traders sell a put option on a strike price at which they would be willing to buy shares of the underlying stock. If the stock stays above the strike price, they keep the premium. If it dips, they buy the stock at a lower price—and in a bull market, that might work in their favor.Sell vertical put spreads. For options traders who are moderately bullish, a vertical put spread (buying one put while selling another at a lower strike price) can offer limited risk and defined profit potential. This strategy is less aggressive than buying shares outright, but still takes advantage of upward trends.Stay invested. Sitting on the sidelines during a bull run can mean missing out on gains. While timing the market is difficult, staying invested—especially with a diversified portfolio—can help you ride out small bumps and capture long-term growth.Trading vs. InvestingEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The bottom lineAlthough bull markets offer opportunities for portfolio growth, they’re not risk free. Overconfidence can lead to overvalued stocks or even asset bubbles. Eventually, every bull market runs its course and ushers in a new bear cycle—sometimes

#Bitcoin تجارة :......

لقد كانت فترة مؤلمة استمرت ستة أسابيع في بيتكوين حيث حدث انخفاض بنسبة -35.69%. ولكن كما يقول المثل القديم، القمم أو القيعان الكبرى تحب أن تُعرف، ورد الفعل حول 85k يوم الجمعة الماضية ترك علامة، وقد أدى ذلك منذ ذلك الحين إلى تحول مع ارتفاع الأسعار الآن إلى مستوى 90k.
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مؤسسة فابريك
بروتوكول فابريك هو شبكة عالمية مفتوحة مدعومة من قبل مؤسسة فابريك غير الربحية، مما يمكّن من بناء وتسيير وتطور تعاوني للروبوتات متعددة الأغراض من خلال الحوسبة القابلة للتحقق والبنية التحتية الأصلية للوكيل. يقوم البروتوكول بتنسيق البيانات والحوسبة والتنظيم عبر دفتر أستاذ عام، مع دمج بنية تحتية معيارية لتسهيل التعاون الآمن بين الإنسان والآلة.
المكافآت
8,600,000 ROBO
إجمالي المشاركين
28742
لوحة المتصدرين
تابع، وانشر، وتداول لكسب مكافآت توكن ROBO بقيمة 4,300,000 من لوحة المتصدرين العالمية. للتأهل للوحة المتصدرين والمكافأة، يجب عليك إكمال كل نوع من المهام (نشر: اختر 1) على الأقل مرة واحدة خلال الحدث للتأهل. سيتم اعتبار المشاركات التي تتضمن حزم حمراء أو هدايا غير مؤهلة. سيتم استبعاد المشاركين الذين يتم العثور عليهم يشاركون في وجهات نظر مشبوهة أو تفاعلات أو استخدام مشبوه للروبوتات الآلية من النشاط. أي تعديل على المشاركات المنشورة مسبقًا ذات الارتباط العالي لإعادة استخدامها كمساهمات للمشروع سيؤدي إلى الاستبعاد.

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