Bear market is second worst in recent history, says study

Bear market conditions of the past three years have been the second worst in recent history, according to research from Schroder Salomon Smith Barney (SSSB). Share prices collapsed more than 50% from their peak to their 12 March trough but that decline is easily surpassed by the bear market of May 1972 to December 1974 when shares plunged 72.8% in value. In the 40 years covered by its research, there have been seven other bear markets, including the 24.9% decline suffered between July and October 1998 and the crash of October 1987. In that instance, shares had started their decline muc...