HFM information and reviews
HFM
96%
FXCC information and reviews
FXCC
92%
FxPro information and reviews
FxPro
89%
FBS information and reviews
FBS
88%
XM information and reviews
XM
86%
NordFX information and reviews
NordFX
86%

Slang and financial markets: animals in trading


If you've seen 'The Wolf of Wall Street' with Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, you might have wondered why he's called a wolf in the movie. It's not just a random label. Animals are often used in finance to describe traders, their traits, or market conditions.

In this article, we will discuss some of the stock market's most popular animal slang words and their meanings.

Bulls and bears: the classic dichotomy

Bears and bulls are probably the first creatures that come to mind when thinking about animals in trading. You've likely heard about them already or will now notice them everywhere.

Bulls represent rising market trends, and bears – falling trends. According to the origin story, the terms come from how each animal attacks: bulls charge upwards, and bears swipe downwards.

Bull and bear markets are often determined by a 20% move. For example, in late 2018, the S&P 500 almost hit a bear market with a 19.78% drop. It was the pandemic that marked the end of the longest bull market in history. From 2009 to 2020, the S&P 500 saw returns of 400.5% over 135 months as the economy recovered.

These two terms – bull and bear – not only describe the market but also represent investor sentiment. A bull is optimistic, buying stocks at fair prices. However, if prices become too high or negative news emerges, investors turn bearish and start selling to prevent losses or secure profits.

Black swans

Black swans are next on the popularity list, but we're not talking about people this time. A black swan event is a highly unexpected one that causes a powerful and widespread impact, deviating sharply from what's usually anticipated. They are extremely rare – like the housing market crash in 2007 – 2008, the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, or the COVID-19 pandemic.

The idea of black swan events became well-known thanks to Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a finance expert, author, and former Wall Street trader. In 2007, Taleb talked about these unpredictable and catastrophic events in his book – well before the 2008 financial crisis. He emphasised that market players should be ready for the upcoming downturn, even if it seems unlikely.

Rabbits, turtles, whales, unicorns, sharks, wolves, and others

Bulls, bears, and swans are just scratching the surface. To understand what people are talking about, you should explore other animals in trading.

One group can be described as active and aggressive traders.

Another category is conservative and influential players.

A few others don't fit into any group and prefer to operate independently.

If you know your role and which animal represents you, join Octa, a global broker with a wide range of tools to support your trading journey. Here, you can engage in live trading to showcase your style. If you still don't have one, start with the Octa demo account to define it risk-free.

It's not necessary to stress over unknown slang words. However, understanding trading slang is significant because it reflects how people talk to each other within trading communities. Even if some terms seem elusive or cryptic, they create a language that unites the target audience even if it initially seems a bit obscure.

Octa is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services already utilised by clients from 180 countries with more than 42 million trading accounts. Free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools they provide help clients reach their investment goals. The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities. Octa has also won over 70 awards since its foundation, including the 'Best Educational Broker 2023' award from Global Forex Awards and the 'Best Global Broker Asia 2022' award from International Business Magazine.


RELATED

10 Reason to Trade Forex

Foreign exchange, or more colloquially known as forex or FX, is the buying and selling of currencies to make profits based on the changed currencies' values...

Investing in the stock market as a beginner

Historically, investing in stocks has been the best way to earn, increase savings, combat inflation and make sure your money is working for you. However, the sheer price of company stocks...

What is Copy Trading and how does it work?

Are you interested in trading the financial markets but feel like you don’t have the time to learn new strategies? Maybe you already trade but can't find a way...

How to Use Orderblock in Forex Trading?

An order block represents the process of collecting orders from financial institutions and banks. The forex market relies on central banks and major financial institutions...

The Starting Point of Your Career as a Successful Forex Trader: From Definition to Regulators

Since 2020, the world and its economy have been in a state of constant turmoil caused by the notorious global pandemic or geopolitical struggles in different parts of the globe...

Online vs. Offline Trading: Weighing the Pros and Cons

In today's digital age, trading options have expanded beyond traditional methods. With nearly universal access to the Internet, online trading has surged in popularity...

What are CFDs?

Have you heard about CFDs? If not, you probably wonder: "What is a CFD?". CFD stands for "contract for difference". It is a contract between two parties, a "buyer" and "seller"...

An Introduction To Forex News Trading

Political and economic news is a powerful source of fluctuation in global financial markets. Even rumors of events such as falling central bank interest rates, lawsuits by governments...

How To Embark On Day Trading With Just $500

In the fast-paced and dynamic world of finance, day trading has emerged as a compelling avenue for individuals seeking to capitalize on short-term market fluctuations...

Guide to Account Security: Safeguarding Against and Addressing Scams

At forex-ratings.com, your security is of paramount importance to us. Our mission is to offer you a digital environment where you can invest, trade, and communicate confidently...

The Most Popular Myths About Bitcoin Debunked

During the existence of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, a large number of erroneous judgments have appeared about them, which continue to spread among people even now...

What are penny stocks?

Penny stocks, also known as “junk” stocks, are securities of small or problem-riddled companies that usually trade at a price of less than $5. They are not frequently-traded stocks...

High Frequency Trading, Pipsing, Scalping

There are a lot of ways and strategies for trading in the financial markets. They can differ both in the degree of risk and in what kind of analysis a trader uses, fundamental or technical...

How to use MT4 WebTrader: A Useful Guide

In 2005, the MetaQuotes Software released the MetaTrader 4 trading platform which is an electronic trading platform that includes all the required features...

Oil Is Black Gold for CFD Trading

Oil is a mineral used to produce fuel. And it is also used as a raw material for household chemicals, cosmetics, clothes and many other products are made from it. But not only. Oil is also a popular commodity...

How to Spot a Bull or Bear Market?

There are two important terms in financial markets that can help investors understand and react to certain situations. Both bull and bear markets describe how markets...

Guide to Copy Trading: How to Replicate Trades

Copy trading presents the opportunity to mirror the trades executed by other experienced traders in real-time. The concept is to identify a trader with a proven track record...

What is an IB brokerage account?

An IB brokerage account, also known as Introducing Broker account, is the account that an IB opens to gain access to all the features that a forex IB program offers...

What is a broker & what does it do?

The term "broker" is used in various spheres, such as in real estate, insurance, mortgage, etc. However, we mostly hear this word when talking about...

What is crypto mining?

Cryptocurrency mining has brought about a new gold rush where individuals and businesses are deploying mining hardware to earn as much cryptocurrency as possible as so-called miners...

Vantage information and reviews
Vantage
85%
FP Markets information and reviews
FP Markets
81%
IronFX information and reviews
IronFX
77%
T4Trade information and reviews
T4Trade
76%
Exness information and reviews
Exness
76%
Just2Trade information and reviews
Just2Trade
76%

© 2006-2025 Forex-Ratings.com

The usage of this website constitutes acceptance of the following legal information.
Any contracts of financial instruments offered to conclude bear high risks and may result in the full loss of the deposited funds. Prior to making transactions one should get acquainted with the risks to which they relate. All the information featured on the website (reviews, brokers' news, comments, analysis, quotes, forecasts or other information materials provided by Forex Ratings, as well as information provided by the partners), including graphical information about the forex companies, brokers and dealing desks, is intended solely for informational purposes, is not a means of advertising them, and doesn't imply direct instructions for investing. Forex Ratings shall not be liable for any loss, including unlimited loss of funds, which may arise directly or indirectly from the usage of this information. The editorial staff of the website does not bear any responsibility whatsoever for the content of the comments or reviews made by the site users about the forex companies. The entire responsibility for the contents rests with the commentators. Reprint of the materials is available only with the permission of the editorial staff.
We use cookies to improve your experience and to make your stay with us more comfortable. By using Forex-Ratings.com website you agree to the cookies policy.