A: I’ve saved a lot of money over the past years, and now I’d like to invest it for a profit.

B: What sort of investment do you have in mind?

A: The stock market is looking attractive. It’s been a bear market for several years now, and I think stock prices are pretty depressed.

B: The falling market has discouraged many investors.

A: But all things work in cycles. A bear market will eventually be followed by a bull market.

B: That’s true. When the market does touch its bottom, it’ll rebound.

A: I hope the investors will soon come back to the market and drive it up.

B: But there’re still risks. Wars, weather problems—all these affect buyers’ confidence.

We’re not sure if the market has reached its bottom.

A: The bear market has lasted over four years; I think it’s time for it to pick up.

B: It’s really hard to say. The Japanese stock market has had a bear run of about ten years.

A: Really?

B: And when NASDAQ fell from 5,000 points to 3,000 points, some people believe it was a golden opportunity to enter the market. Then the market plunged.

A: So the stock market is really risky. I may lose money.

B: And maybe even your shirts.

A: Well, perhaps I’d better put my money on the bank.