Data analyzed by Bespoke Investment Group shows that stocks' current bear market may need to take another leg lower before rebounding. That spells bad news for investors hoping the current bear market has hit a bottom, as the general rule of thumb is the final six months of a bear market before a bounce should be particularly painful. "When it comes to investing during a bear market, you'll often hear the advice that investors should wait on the sidelines until the market shows signs of meaningful stabilization," the firm said. The S & P 500 closed within 5% of the true low a median of 10 times during previous bear markets. In just the six months before Oct. 12, the S & P 500 closed within 5% on 20 trading days.

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