Note from dshort: This series has been replaced by my Four Totally Bad Bears series.

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During the Great Financial Crisis, I updated this chart series on a daily basis. I retired it over a year ago but have posted occasional updates on request. Here is my final update of the series ... which is not to say I'm discontinuing coverage of the topic.

Henceforth I will periodically update a new overlay series of these four bad bears, but the new series will include nominal and real total returns in addition to the price-only overlays.

I'll post the new version tomorrow.

 

 

Since inflation is a favorite topic on this website, I've also updated a set of charts to facilitate a comparison of the nominal and real declines. See also my logarithmic scale view of the "Four Bad Bears" comparison.

For charts of S&P 500 bear market and recoveries since 1950, see this series.

 

 

For a better sense of how these cycles figure into a larger historical context, here's a long-term view of secular bull and bear markets, adjusted for inflation, in the S&P Composite since 1871.

For a bit of international flavor, here's a chart series that includes the so-called L-shaped "recovery" of the Nikkei 225. I update these weekly.

These charts are not intended as a forecast but rather as a way to study the current market in relation to historic market cycles.