The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) market index set a fresh all-time high this week, closing Friday's trading at 4,838. That's 35% above the market bottom in October 2022, which marked the end of the last bear market.

Thanks to the odd ways bull and bear market definitions work, it is now safe to say that this is a proper bull market; it wasn't official until right now but it arguably started 15 months ago.

Bullish market conditions have lasted an average of three years over each in the last century. The average stock market gain when the next bearish swing comes along stands at 114% over the same analysis period. Rising 35% in a year and change is an excellent start, but this bull run will probably have the legs for a much larger gain.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com