Bull Market / Bear Market

Markets move in cycles - extended bull runs are typically followed, eventually, by a correction or bear phase, and vice versa. The costly mistake many retail investors make isn't being in a bear market itself, it's reacting to one by selling near the bottom out of fear, then re-entering only after prices have already recovered - locking in losses and missing the recovery. A long-term investment plan (see our SIP article) is specifically designed to ride through both phases rather than trying to predict or time the transition between them.