“Bull” and “bear” are terms that are often used in investing to refer to the overall condition of the stock market—that is, whether the stock market is appreciating (“bullish”) or depreciating (“bearish”) over the long term in value.

Typically, a bull market experiences a sustained increase in stock prices and occurs when the conditions of the general economy are favorable. A bear market occurs when the economy is in decline and share prices show a depreciating trend. While the conditions of the market will have an effect on your investments, it can be helpful to remember that the stock market has always posted a positive return over the long term.