The names "bull" and "bear" are widely used in the investing world to describe market circumstances. These phrases describe the general performance of stock markets, such as whether they are increasing or decreasing in trend. As an investor, the market's direction is a major force that has a significant impact on investors' portfolio.

A bull market describes a market that is in uptrend, with investors' expectation that economy is growing. A bullish market will lead to assets is on the rise, whereas a bear market exists in an economy that is decreasing and where most stocks are losing value.

A bearish market will show a downtrend market, the situation where investors are losing hopes in economy. Market sentiment is negative. Because it's hard to know when the exact time a market hits bottom, investors may pull their funds from a bear market and hold cash until the trend reverses, causing stock prices even lower. Investors will sell more assets instead of buying which result in more supply than demand. In a bear market, investors can be more risky for retail investors, as many securities lose value and prices become volatile.

Despite the fact that some investors are "bearish," most investors can have "bullish" view on the market. In long term, the stock market has tended to produce positive returns.