bears and bulls

[blue_jeans_vb]

What do bears and bulls means in business terms. Here's the text/excerpt from the column of a local newspaper that I read.
1. The bulls argue that our investment slump of recent years - something I have written much about lately - implies that there is nowhere to go but up on investment spending

2. The bears see the persistent risks and threats, along with our inunspiring track record on governance, as a dominating drag on our potential for accelerated growth.

[oitafish]

I don't know the history of the terms but if you are a "bull", you believe the stock market will do well. If you are a "bear", you believe it will do bad. Financial people often say they are "bearish" or "bullish" on a certain stock or segment of the market to indicate if they think that stock or segment will do go or bad.

[blue_jeans_vb]

I don't know the history of the terms but if you are a "bull", you believe the stock market will do well. If you are a "bear", you believe it will do bad. Financial people often say they are "bearish" or "bullish" on a certain stock or segment of the market to indicate if they think that stock or segment will do go or bad.

Now I know the meaning of those terms. I appreciate your reply.