“Unmasking the Market: Are You Prepared for the Bear’s Bite or the Bull’s Charge?”

Ever wondered why an 11-foot-tall bull graces the entrance of the New York Stock Exchange? While tourists flock to snap selfies with this iconic sculpture, for brokers inside, its significance runs deeper than just a photo op. This bronze powerhouse represents the “bull market,” a term that sparks excitement in the world of finance, indicating rising asset values and encouraging investment. But what about its counterpart—the bear market? This piece dives into the fascinating etymology of these terms, examining some quirky theories about their origins and uncovering the essential dynamics that dictate our economy. So, as we navigate through the highs and lows of market trends, let’s unravel the colorful stories behind the beasts that symbolize them!

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Outside of the New York Stock Exchange in downtown Manhattan stands an 11-foot-tall, 7100-pound bronze form of a charging bull. For tourists, this sculpture is top photo op for their Instagram feeds, but for the brokers inside the exchange, the bull has a significant meaning. 

In finance, a “bull market” is one in which the value of tradeable assets—stocks, bonds, real estate, and currencies—is expected to rise, motivating investment. Because markets rise and fall all the time in a hard-to-predict pattern that French mathematician Louis Bachelier called the “random walk model,” financial analysts don’t declare the start of a bull market until stock prices have risen by 20 percent. Bull markets can be caused by numerous pro-investment factors, from low interest rates to decreasing unemployment and technological innovations.