A bear market is a prolonged period of declining stock prices, typically defined as a drop of 20% or more from recent highs.
Notable Asian Bear Markets
- Asian Financial Crisis (1997-1998): Thai, Korean, Indonesian markets crashed 40-80%
- Global Financial Crisis (2008-2009): Nikkei fell 50%, Hang Seng fell 48%
- COVID Crash (2020): Markets fell 30%+ in weeks before rapid recovery
Bear Market vs Correction
| Type | Decline | Duration |
| Pullback | 5-10% | Days to weeks |
| Correction | 10-20% | Weeks to months |
| Bear Market | 20%+ | Months to years |
Protection Strategies
Diversification across countries and sectors is key. Asian markets don't always move together — Japan may be in a bear market while India is in a bull market.