“Hope springs eternal” – first coined in 1733 by Alexander Pope in his poem, An Essay on Man – has become a common phrase to describe one of man’s best characteristics…

Even in the bleakest of situations, humankind has always displayed incredible determination and a belief that better days are ahead.

Through war, famine, plagues, and more, tough times strengthen our resolve that things will eventually start looking up.

And right now, the COVID-19 outbreak is testing our hope.

Traders and investors are no exception. After more than a decade of good times during an historic bull run, the crash caused by the coronavirus outbreak feels like a huge gut-punch. The market’s original record-breaking nosedive had everyone from giant institutions to those with the smallest of portfolios searching for a bottom. How fast was that drop? 22 days. Here’s how that compares to the fastest drops of all-time:

And now the biggest three-day gain in the Dow since 1933 has given a glimmer of hope and an endless debate about if THE bottom is in.

Whether you think Monday’s bottom is the bottom or not, the news on the coronavirus front is still daunting.

And history is not on the side of the bulls…