Other forms: bear markets
When investors are worried because the price of stocks is steadily declining, that's a bear market. During periods of economic recession, bear markets are common.
A bear market is a situation in which the stock market declines, falling at least 20 percent over two months. Bear markets are associated with a reduced number of investments, as potential investors doubt they'll be able to make a profit. These periods tend to happen in cycles (alternating with upturns in price, or bull markets) but sometimes a bear market lasts for years, like the one that accompanied the Great Depression after 1929's Wall Street crash.