Bear Market
A sustained decline of 20% or more in stock prices from recent highs.
Bear markets are a normal part of investing — they have occurred roughly every 3-5 years historically, lasting an average of 9-14 months. The S&P 500 has recovered from every bear market in history, though recovery times vary from months to years. The most important thing during a bear market is to not panic sell. Investors who sell at the bottom lock in losses and miss the recovery. Dollar-cost averaging through a bear market means buying stocks at discounted prices.
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