What constitutes a bear market? How often do they occur?

Most analysts agree that a bear market is a 20% drop in prices in a short time frame, typically 3-6 months, whether it be for a single security or the market as a whole. Since 1929 there have been about 20 which is about one every four to five years.
To learn more about how to help your portfolio survive the next bear market, see our new article this Thursday.