Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Revision as of Wednesday, 21 August 2024 at 20:08 UTC

Recognizing common market tendencies can help you keep your cool. Below, the frequency and severity of various types of downturns from 1945 through 2022

Market Drops Occurrences Average Decline Months to the Bottom Months to Recovery
Pullbacks (5.0% to 9.9%) 61 -7% 1 1.5
Corrections (10.0% to 19.9%) 23 -14% 4 4
Bear markets (20%+) 13 -33% 13 27
Garden-variety bear (20% to 40%) 10 -27% 10 14
Mega meltdown (40%+) 3 -51% 23 58

Source: CFRA, S&P Global