What is a bull market?

A bull market is when overall prices are rising, and investor confidence is high. It's named after the way bulls attack — thrusting upwards.

What is a bear market?

A bear market is when prices are falling, often by 20% or more. It reflects a drop in investor confidence and often comes with economic contraction.

What do pigs and sheep mean in trading?

Pigs are greedy traders who overreach and lose profits. Sheep blindly follow the crowd without doing research, usually jumping in too late.

How does the news affect bull or bear markets?

Markets react to how people interpret the news — announcements like tax cuts or trade tariffs can quickly shift sentiment and trigger bull or bear reactions.

Can you trade successfully in a bear market?

Yes. Skilled traders can go short or adapt their strategies in bearish conditions. Bear markets are part of the cycle, not a reason to panic.

BULL OR BEAR? WHY THE MARKET SOUNDS LIKE A ZOO

Susi Hogan
Jul 21
3 min read

Trader Terms to Cook Your Noodles – Vol. 4

If you thought trading was just about numbers and charts, think again.

Our chaotic 80s trading floor seems to have a few more inhabitants than just humans. Suddenly, everyone's talking about 'bulls' and 'bears'. No, it's not a market safari and you don't need binoculars.

These are just colourful (and very old) ways to describe the overall direction and mood of the market.

BULL MARKET: WHEN CONFIDENCE CHARGES IN

Black-and-white photo of frantic 1980s office workers wrestling a live bull on the trading floor — a chaotic metaphor for bull markets and trader behaviour.

A bull market is when prices are generally rising. It doesn’t mean every second is green, but the trend is clearly upward.

Why the bull? Because a bull attacks by thrusting its horns *upward* so “bull market” = prices rising.

It’s typically a time of:

- Optimism: Traders expect prices to keep climbing

- Buying: More people are buying assets

- Growth: The economy and companies often appear strong

It’s like swimming with the current. Many traders find long opportunities easier to spot and act on during bullish conditions.

BEAR MARKET: WHEN THINGS TAKE A DIVE

Black-and-white image of panicked 1980s traders in suits playing tug-of-war with a roaring bear inside a busy trading office — symbolising bear market pressure.

A bear market is when prices are generally falling usually by 20% or more from recent highs.

The bear? It swipes its paw *downward* symbolising falling prices.

Bear markets come with:

- Pessimism: Worries about profits or the economy

- Selling pressure: Traders cashing out or shorting

- Contraction: Companies may struggle, growth slows

While it sounds gloomy, a well-trained trader knows how to operate here too. Remember ‘going short’? This is where it shines.

REAL-WORLD ANTICS: HOW OUTSIDE EVENTS SHIFT THE ZOO (BULL MARKET OR BEAR MARKET)

Black-and-white photo of a bull and bear staring each other down across a table with oranges, as 1980s office workers cheer behind them — symbolising market rivalry and emotional reactions to trading trends.

Markets don’t just move on numbers they move on news.

Sometimes it’s economic data. Other times? It’s the antics of politicians, presidents, or global drama.

For example:

- If a world leader announces new trade tariffs markets may get nervous. Less trade = less profit = falling prices = bear mood.

- If someone promises tax cuts or big infrastructure projects traders may feel bullish thinking it’ll boost business and growth.

It’s not about whether the event has happened it’s about how people think it will affect profits. That’s what drives the bull or bear.

And yes, leaders like Trump regularly caused both sometimes in the same week.

BEYOND BULLS AND BEARS: PIGS AND SHEEP

Black-and-white scene of a chaotic trading floor filled with a bull, bear, pig, and sheep charging through crowds of 1980s traders — a vivid metaphor for emotional trading behaviours and market identities.

You might also hear traders talk about:

- Pigs: Traders who get greedy, trying to milk every last pip and end up turning profits into losses.

> “Bulls make money, bears make money… pigs get slaughtered.”

- Sheep: Traders who blindly follow the herd, jumping into trades without doing their own research - usually too late.

These aren't about market direction. They're warnings. And at CLiK, we teach you how to be neither.

CLIK INSIGHT: HOW TO TRADE IN A MENAGERIE

At CLiK, we train you to:

- Recognise market conditions (bullish or bearish)

- Understand what news is likely to cause a shift

- Adapt your strategy long, short, or sit it out

- Avoid the common behavioural traps (pig/sheep syndrome)

So whether the market’s charging ahead or curled up for a nap, you’ll have the skills to make calm, confident trading decisions.

NEXT TIME: STOP-LOSS — YOUR PANIC BUTTON (THAT SHOULDN’T PANIC YOU)

Next up: how to protect yourself. Stop-losses, take-profit orders your built-in safety net and targeting tool.

No actual nets or zoo animals involved.

Black-and-white image of a serious crossing guard holding a ‘STOP’ sign in front of a stunned crowd of traders — symbolising stop-loss strategies and the importance of knowing when to pause in trading.

Real Traders. Real Support. Real Results.