Even if you're investing for the long term, it can sure help you to feel more comfortable with your decisions if you have an idea about what's going to happen in the very near term. 

Of course, there's no guarantee that your ideas (or mine) about the market's future will be accurate, but setting the right expectations is a lot easier when you can appreciate the most important factors at play. So without further ado, here are my three biggest predictions for October. Even if they prove to be false, you'll benefit from thinking about all three.

If you're hoping that the bear market is going to give way to calmer waters this month, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed. On average, bear markets last around 9.5 months. That means the current bear market just recently reached the average lifespan, but also that half of all such markets go on for longer. And there are a handful of headwinds and trends that are likely to keep this one going. 

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Source Fool.com