Over the years, these terms have been assigned other appropriate, if fictional, origins. For example, the fighting styles of these animals have been used to explain the terms. The bear swipes down at his prey, and the bull thrusts his horns upwards. Another explanation: bulls are thought to be more rambunctious and bears are hibernators.
Whatever the true etymology of these terms, they have shown real lasting power over nearly three centuries. They have also been spun off to refer to different types of investors. A bear investor is more pessimistic abou the market's future than a bull investor.
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At the moment, the U.S. stock market is, of course, a bear market, with prices down virtually across the board. The market has experienced some price increases, however. These are called bear market rallies.
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