While the criteria used to determine which market periods qualify as “bull” or “bear” can be somewhat nebulous, make no mistake about it – we are currently enjoying one of the longest bull runs in market history. Most analysts agree that the present bull market celebrated its 9th birthday in March, and there’s little reason to think that stock indices themselves can’t continue to rise over the long-run. In spite of generally positive economic conditions, however, there is reason to suspect the return of a familiar and at times uncomfortable and challenging force in the market: volatility.
