What is Market Trend ? Definition and Meaning and Its Types

 What is Market Trend and Its Types

Market trend

A market trend is a putative tendency of a financial market to move in a particular direction over time.  In technical analysis, when prices experience a series of higher highs and higher lows, they are said to be in an uptrend, which is often referred to as the bull market. In contrast, prices are said to be in a downtrend when they suffer through consistent lower highs and lower lows, known as the bear market.

What is Market Trends  and its types
What is Market Trends?

What are Types of Market trends

These trends are classified as secular for long time frames, primary for medium time frames, and secondary lasting short times.

Generally traders identify market trends using various technical analysis, a framework which characterizes market trends as a predictable price response of the market at levels of price support and price resistance, varying over time.

Secular market trend 

A secular market trend is a long-term trend that lasts 7 to 30 years and consists of a series of sequential primary trends. A secular bear market consists of smaller bull markets and larger bear markets and a secular bull market consists of larger bull markets and smaller bear markets. 

In a secular bull market the prevailing trend is “bullish” or upward moving however in a secular bear market, the prevailing trend is “bearish” or downward moving.

Primary market trend 

A primary trend has broad support throughout the entire market (most sectors) and lasts for a year or more. The bull and bear markets are also known as primary markets.

Bull market

A bull market is associated with increasing investor confidence, and increased investing in anticipation of future price increases (capital gains). A bullish trend in the stock market often begins before the general economy shows clear signs of recovery. It is a win-win situation for the investors.

Bear market 

A bear market is a general decline in the stock market over a period of time. It is a transition from high investor optimism to widespread investor fear and pessimism. One generally accepted measure is a price decline of 20% or more over at least a two-month period.

Market bottom

A market bottom is a trend reversal, the end of a market downturn, and precedes the beginning of an upward moving trend (bull market).

Market top

A market top (or market high) is usually not a dramatic event. The market has simply reached the highest point that it will, for some time (usually a few years). It is identified retrospectively, as market participants are not aware of it at the time it happens. Thus prices subsequently fall, either slowly or more rapidly.

Secondary market trend

Secondary trends are short-term changes in price direction within a primary trend. The duration is a few weeks or a few months. One type of secondary market trend is called a market correction.

How does a market trend work?

To know what market trend mean, it’s important to note what factors affecting the market trend and what are the conditions or situations which impact market trend. some basic factors are explained below:-

Government policies also impact Market trends

Government policies plays a vital role to drive market trends. By regulating fiscal and monetary policy, governments can slow down or accelerate the growth of financial market .Which in turn impact the market trend. For example, by regulating CRR and RR government control the liquidity of money which in turn regulate the financial market.

Market player sentiment also impact the Market Trends

Market trends can be shaped by the sentiment among market participants. When traders and investors have faith in the direction of a country’s economy and government. Their optimistic attitude can shape a bullish trend. On the contrary, a negative market sentiment among traders can push the asset’s price lower.

Supply and demand also impact Market Trends

The asset price tends to fluctuate on  supply and demand.  if supply of any asset is more price will decrease if demand of any asset is more then price will increase. 

Corporate and economics news also impact the Market Trends

Results of companies also impact the Market trends. Positive results or news contribute to an uptrend. On the contrary, negative news could push prices lower, creating a downtrend

How to identify a market trend| Indicators to identify Market trends

To identify market trend both technical and fundamental analysis can be used . Technical analysis tools such as trendlines, price action, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and moving averages (MA) are popular among traders. 

Trendline

A trendline is a straight line which connects a series of price points – highs and lows – and extends into the future. An uptrend trendline connecting a series of higher lows creates a support level for future price movements. On the contrary, a downtrend trendline connecting a series of lower highs indicates the support level.

Relative Strength Index (RSI)

An RSI determines whether a stock is overbought or oversold by measuring the speed and magnitude of price changes. An RSI reading of 30 or below indicates that the market is oversold while a reading of 70 or above shows the overbought condition. Both of these readings signal that a trend reversal is likely. 
 
Moving averages (MA)
 
Meanwhile, moving averages are used to distinguish clear price action from the market clamour. There are two moving averages: simple moving average (SMA) and exponential moving average (EMA). 
 
SMA calculates the mean of a set of prices over a certain period of time in the past. For example, SMA calculates the mean of prices in the past 20-days, 50-days, 100-days and so on.  
 
Meanwhile, EMA is a weighted average that emphasizes a stock’s price in recent days, making it a more responsive indicator to new information. Moving averages are also used to determine support and resistance levels of an asset’s price, and the overall price trend. 
 

Fundamental analysis

Investors can also use fundamental analysis to identify a market trend by looking at changes in business or economic metrics, such as revenue and earnings growth. When a company records positive earnings growth for several consecutive quarters, it represents a positive market trend example. On the other hand, when a company’s earnings fall consistently over a certain period, it shows a negative trend.

Bottom Line

I hope you have read the  article and knew about Market Trends. A market trend can be a useful tool to inform a trading strategy. Remember, your final decision to trade should be based on your risk tolerance, market expertise, portfolio size and composition. Always conduct your own research before trading, and never trade money you cannot afford to lose. Kindly visit again to read Stock market related articles. Read following articles :-

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