Q. In the parlance of financial investments, the term 'bear' denotes (UPSC Prelims 2010)
Answer: An investor who feels that the price of a particular security is going to fall
Notes: In financial markets, a bear is an investor anticipating a price decline in securities and may engage in short-selling to profit from falling prices. This contrasts with a bull, who expects prices to rise. The term dates back to 18th-century trading, symbolizing downward market pressure. Options two, three, and four refer respectively to bulls, stakeholders, and lenders.