Markets
Bull Market
A sustained period of rising prices in a market or asset, generally accompanied by investor optimism.
Example
The US stock market's run from March 2009 to February 2020 — roughly 400% gains in the S&P 500 — is considered one of the longest bull markets on record.
Common Misconception
A bull market doesn't mean every stock goes up every day — even in a strong bull run, individual stocks and sectors can and do decline.
Why It Matters
Long bull markets can create overconfidence about future returns; it's a good time to double-check your asset allocation still matches your actual risk tolerance rather than assuming recent gains will continue indefinitely.