In the financial markets, two main types of investors reflect the market's sentiment namely, bulls and bears.
Bulls are investors who are optimistic about the future prospects of a stock or the stock market as a whole. They believe that the market is on an upward trend, and prices will rise. Bulls buy stocks with the expectation that they can sell them later at a higher price.
On the other hand, bears are pessimistic about the market's future. They expect that the stock market is on a downward trend, and prices will fall. Bears sell stocks, anticipating that they can buy them back later at a lower price.
Imagine a hypothetical situation involving two friends: X and Y, both investors in the Indian stock market.
Bullish: X has been closely following the news and has observed several positive indicators for the Indian economy. The GDP is expected to grow, and recent reforms introduced by the government are likely to benefit the tech industry. Considering these factors, X believes that tech stocks will soar in the coming months. He decides to buy shares in "ABC Ltd." with the hope that he can sell them later at a higher price.
Bearish: Y, on the other hand, has a different perspective. She believes that despite the short-term positive news, there are global factors that might affect the tech industry negatively in the long run. There's increasing competition from abroad, and she's concerned about potential regulations in international markets. With these concerns in mind, she decides to sell her shares in "ABC Ltd." now, expecting that she can buy them back later at a more affordable rate if her predictions come true.
A few months later, X's bullish outlook proves accurate. The shares of "ABC Ltd." rise significantly, and he makes a good profit. Y, seeing the trend, decides to re-enter the market at a higher point, anticipating future growth but at a lesser profit margin than X.