Was there a bull market before the Great Depression?
he period between March 1928 and September 1929 is famous in America's economic history. It was the time of the Great Bull (rising) Market. During that time Americans were obsessed with the idea of buying stocks.
The previous bull market lasted less than two years, starting in March 2020 and ending in January 2022. Before that, stocks were in a bull market that lasted nearly a decade, from March 2009 amid the Great Recession to February 2020, as Covid-19 emerged as a global threat.
The decade, known as the "Roaring Twenties," was a period of exuberant economic and social growth within the United States; however, the era came to a dramatic and abrupt end in Oct. 1929 when the stock market crashed, paving the way for America's Great Depression of the 1930s.
Together, the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression formed the largest financial crisis of the 20th century. The panic of October 1929 has come to serve as a symbol of the economic contraction that gripped the world during the next decade.
The longest bear market spanned 61 months from 1937 to 1942 during the Great Depression. Bull markets tend to last longer than bear markets with an average duration of 6.6 years.
Rank | Bull Markets | Return |
---|---|---|
1 | Tech boom bull market (1987-2000) | 582.15% |
2 | Post-financial crisis recovery bull market (2009-2020) | 400.52% |
3 | Post-World War II expansion bull market (1949-1956) | 266.35% |
4 | Reaganomics bull market (1982-1987) | 228.81% |
The Roaring Twenties: This bull market, which took place in the 1920s, was fueled by speculation and lasted until the stock market crash of 1929. It was characterized by rapid economic growth, rising asset prices, and increased consumer spending.
The origins of the Great Depression were complicated and have been much debated among scholars. The initial factor was the First World War, which upset international balances of power and caused a dramatic shock to the global financial system.
The odds are the value of your retirement savings may decline if the market crashes. While this doesn't mean you should never invest, you should be patient with the market and make long-term decisions that can withstand time and market fluctuation.
The money is lost only when the positions are sold during or after the crash. As we know, the stock market is volatile and if it falls today, there is no doubt that will also rise sooner than later. In such a situation, patience is important.
What triggered Great Depression?
Among the suggested causes of the Great Depression are: the stock market crash of 1929; the collapse of world trade due to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff; government policies; bank failures and panics; and the collapse of the money supply.
Not everyone, however, lost money during the worst economic downturn in American history. Business titans such as William Boeing and Walter Chrysler actually grew their fortunes during the Great Depression.
Among the more prominent causes were the period of rampant speculation (those who had bought stocks on margin not only lost the value of their investment, they also owed money to the entities that had granted the loans for the stock purchases), tightening of credit by the Federal Reserve (in August 1929 the discount ...
The S&P 500 soared throughout the year and finally reached a new high in January 2024, making the new bull market official.
But during a bull market, people who check often perhaps feel wealthier, and even though that money is locked up in an account that's for retirement, psychologically you feel wealthier, so you might be more likely to just spend more money, which can lead to lower savings rates.
On October 29, 1929, the United States stock market crashed in an event known as Black Tuesday. This began a chain of events that led to the Great Depression, a 10-year economic slump that affected all industrialized countries in the world.
Has a new bull market already begun? Some investors would say yes, with the S&P 500 Index well over the popular threshold for a bull run of a 20% gain from a trough. However, the index only recently finished recouping its bear-market losses and today sits just slightly above its January 2022 peak.
3. How long the average bull market lasts. As much as investors would like the answer to this question to be "forever," bull markets tend to run for just under four years. The average bull market duration, since 1932, is 3.8 years, according to market research firm InvesTech Research.
The longest bear market lingered for three years, from 1946 to 1949. Taking the past 12 bear markets into consideration, the average length of a bear market is about 14 months. How bad has the average bear been? The shallowest bear market loss took place in 1990, when the S&P 500 lost around 20%.
- The Crash of 1929, which eventually ushered in the Great Depression,
- The Oil Embargo of 1973, which was followed by a vicious bout of stagflation,
- The Tech Bubble crash and,
- The Financial Crisis following the (then) record high in October 2007.
How long did the Great Depression last?
1929–1941. The longest and deepest downturn in the history of the United States and the modern industrial economy lasted more than a decade, beginning in 1929 and ending during World War II in 1941.
Installment credit soared during the 1920s. Banks offered the country's first home mortgages. Manufacturers of everything--from cars to irons--allowed consumers to pay "on time." About 60 percent of all furniture and 75 percent of all radios were purchased on installment plans.
Mobilizing the economy for world war finally cured the depression. Millions of men and women joined the armed forces, and even larger numbers went to work in well-paying defense jobs.
The Great Depression of 1929–39
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. This was the worst financial and economic disaster of the 20th century. Many believe that the Great Depression was triggered by the Wall Street crash of 1929 and later exacerbated by the poor policy decisions of the U.S. government.
In 1932, the weather bureau reported 14 dust storms. The next year, the number climbed to 38. People tried to protect themselves by hanging wet sheets in front of doorways and windows to filter the dirt. They stuffed window frames with gummed tape and rags.
References
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/millionaires-made-bear-markets-millen-livis-m-s-m-b-a-
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/ruleof72.asp
- https://poe.com/poeknowledge/1512928000358234
- https://www.empower.com/the-currency/money/how-to-avoid-capital-gains-tax
- https://time.com/personal-finance/article/bear-vs-bull-market/
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-interest-earn-1-million-150000229.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bearmarket.asp
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/03/060603.asp
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bullmarket.asp
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/02/27/the-average-stock-market-return-over-last-20-years/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/oct29/black-tuesday/
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042115/what-caused-stock-market-crash-1929-preceded-great-depression.asp
- https://smartasset.com/taxes/capital-gains-exemption-for-seniors
- https://talkmarkets.com/content/how-much-money-do-i-need-to-invest-to-make-3000-a-month?post=431352
- https://smartasset.com/retirement/average-401k-return
- https://tools.carboncollective.co/future-value/50000-in-20-years/
- https://www.citizensbank.com/learning/bull-market-vs-bear-market.aspx
- https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/google-news-update/why-you-shouldnt-check-your-401k-during-a-bull-market/ab7110e4-028e-4c8f-a925-c218ee4346fd
- https://www.icicidirect.com/ilearn/technical-analysis/articles/3-bullish-technical-trends-to-watch-out-for
- https://www.officialdata.org/us/stocks/s-p-500/1974
- https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/602195/do-i-have-to-pay-taxes-on-gains-from-stocks
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/taxes/capital-gains-tax-rates
- https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-depression
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bull-market-according-history-long-084300994.html
- https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2024/01/05/bear-market-recoveries-todays-market-q3-2023
- https://www.unbiased.com/discover/taxes/capital-gains-tax-exemption-for-seniors-what-does-it-mean-for-you
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closing_milestones_of_the_Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/will-the-stock-market-crash-risk-factors
- https://www.quora.com/Is-it-a-good-idea-to-invest-all-of-your-savings-into-an-S-P-500-Index-Fund-at-this-time-considering-the-current-record-highs
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/bear-market-guide-all-ages/
- https://www.stlouisfed.org/the-great-depression/curriculum/economic-episodes-in-american-history-part-5
- https://www.nirmalbang.com/knowledge-center/things-to-do-when-stock-market-crashes.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/investduringbearmarket.asp
- https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/capital-gains-tax-on-real-estate/
- https://www.grayscale.com/research/reports/anatomy-of-a-bitcoin-bull-market
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/bear-market-vs-bull-market
- https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/09/21/the-best-performing-stock-on-the-sp-500-since-1980.aspx
- https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/how-do-you-cash-out-stocks/
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/5-best-stocks-to-buy-in-a-bear-market
- https://www.motilaloswal.com/blog-details/8-things-that-small-investors-must-do-in-bullish-market-conditions/1891
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/06/25/if-you-invested-10000-in-the-sp-500-20-years-ago/
- https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20240325111/wall-street-revamps-2024-sp-500-targets-after-record-setting-stock-market-rally
- https://www.covenantwealthadvisors.com/post/how-to-reduce-capital-gains-tax-on-stocks
- https://www.sharebuilder401k.com/blog/how-the-rule-of-72-helps-you-understand-how-your-savings-can-grow/
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_5_year_return
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/020515/what-are-safest-investments-during-bear-market.asp
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/what-is-a-bull-market/
- https://www.officialdata.org/us/stocks/s-p-500/1900
- https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/great-depression
- https://homework.study.com/explanation/good-news-you-will-almost-certainly-be-a-millionaire-by-the-time-you-retire-in-40-years-bad-news-the-inflation-rate-over-your-lifetime-will-average-about-3-2-a-what-will-be-the-real-value-of-1-m.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/washsale.asp
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/got-%24500-a-month-to-invest-heres-how-the-sp-500-could-make-you-a-millionaire
- https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/how-to-invest-bear-market
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/how-to-become-a-millionaire-by-investing
- https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/sp-500-end-2024-with-small-gain-after-strong-2023-2024-02-22/
- https://www.britannica.com/event/stock-market-crash-of-1929
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/taxes/taxes-on-stocks
- https://www.visiolending.com/blog/how-long-do-i-have-to-buy-another-property-to-avoid-capital-gains
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/capitalgainhomesale.asp
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/how-to-deduct-stock-losses-from-taxes/
- https://curvo.eu/backtest/en/market-index/sp-500
- https://www.hrblock.com/tax-center/income/investments/how-to-figure-capital-gains-tax/
- https://finbox.com/ARCA:SPY/explorer/asset_price_return_10y/
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/jaspreet-singh-shares-5-ways-to-grow-$10k-to-$100k-in-a-few-years
- https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-bubble-investing-upside-2025-sp500-record-valuation-outlook-2024-2
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/invested-1000-p-global-decade-133005715.html
- https://www.queensway-academy.com/learn/articles/bullish-bearish-markets-spot-them/
- https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409
- https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/are-we-in-a-bull-market-2024
- https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/can-you-retire-on-1-million
- https://www.quora.com/I-want-to-earn-1-000-USD-every-month-from-dividends-How-much-do-I-have-to-invest-and-where
- https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0711/how-to-double-your-money-every-6-years.aspx
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/best-growth-stocks-to-buy
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/kevin-oleary%3A-by-age-33-you-should-have-%24100k-in-savings-how-to-get-started
- https://www.finder.com/uk/share-trading/biggest-bull-markets-in-history
- https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/average-401k-balance-by-age
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/how-to-invest-during-a-bear-market
- https://www.history.com/news/great-depression-people-who-made-money
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_of_1929
- https://www.quora.com/How-do-stock-investors-get-rich-in-a-bear-market
- https://www.quora.com/Will-I-be-taxed-for-my-stock-investment-profits-if-I-havent-withdrawn-money-from-my-stock-investment-platform
- https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/401k-rate-of-return/
- https://www.kiplinger.com/investing/600938/bull-markets-10-things-you-must-know
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_monthly_return
- https://www.stash.com/learn/how-long-do-bear-markets-last/
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/buying-stocks/articles/heres-what-happens-when-you-only-invest-in-sp-500-etfs/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/stocks/good-return-on-investment/
- https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/overview/
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/heres-the-average-stock-market-return-during-a-bull-market
- https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/cost-basis-and-your-taxes
- https://www.ig.com/us/trading-strategies/10-of-the-best-chart-indicators-for-trading-231207
- https://centerpointsecurities.com/bull-markets/
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042415/what-average-annual-return-sp-500.asp
- https://www.usbank.com/wealth-management/financial-perspectives/financial-planning/profits-from-house-sale.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/022216/put-10000-sp-500-etf-and-wait-20-years.asp
- https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/stocks/selling-stock-taxes/
- https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/21/how-much-youd-have-if-you-invested-in-the-s-and-p-500-a-decade-ago.html
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/low-risk-investments/
- https://www.realized1031.com/blog/what-is-the-6-year-rule-for-capital-gains-tax
- https://www.thestreet.com/dictionary/bear-market
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/stock-market-forecast-2024/
- https://www.titan.com/articles/is-sp-500-a-good-investment
- https://www.britannica.com/story/5-of-the-worlds-most-devastating-financial-crises
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/010616/whats-average-401k-balance-age.asp
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/stock-market-outlook-and-forecast/
- https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/what-is-bear-market-2022-06-15/
- https://www.barclays.co.uk/smart-investor/new-to-investing/reducing-unnecessary-risk/how-much-cash-should-investors-hold/
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/5-risks-global-economy-2024/
- https://www.shareindia.com/knowledge-center/intraday-trading/intraday-trading-indicators
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/this-stock-market-indicator-has-been-100-accurate-since-1957.-it-signals-a-big-move-in-the
- https://www.kpbs.org/news/arts-culture/2009/11/13/american-experience-surviving-dust-bowl
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/more-money-investing-10-000-220010726.html
- https://www.officialdata.org/us/stocks/s-p-500/1926
- https://smartasset.com/retirement/do-seniors-ever-stop-filing-taxes
- https://www.yourwealth.com/if-youre-weighing-lump-sum-payout-vs-pension-use-6-rule/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/06/section1031exchange.asp
- https://www.marshmma.com/us/insights/details/should-i-reduce-my-401k-contribution-when-the-market-is-down.html
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/got-500-invest-stocks-put-093000001.html
- https://www.shiksha.com/online-courses/articles/bear-market-stages-and-associated-factors/
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/real-estate-vs-stocks-which-is-better/
- http://www.moneychimp.com/features/rule72.htm
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/young-investors-prepare-recession
- https://www.upnest.com/1/post/capital-gains-taxes-second-home/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/022016/can-stock-market-affect-your-social-security-benefits.asp
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/average-stock-market-return
- https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/19/business/stocks-bull-market.html
- https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3396
- https://www.unfcu.org/financial-wellness/50-30-20-rule/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/07/20/3-reasons-to-sell-stocks-in-a-bear-market/
- https://www.creditkarma.com/investments/i/bear-market-investing-strategies