What qualifies as a market correction?

A market correction is typically defined as a decline of at least 10% in the price of an asset, which is why the choice indicating a 10% drop qualifies as the correct answer. This threshold is widely recognized among investors and analysts as a significant enough dip that reflects a shift in market sentiment.

Understanding market corrections is essential, as they often signal adjustments to an asset's valuation following overextensions in price or market exuberance. Corrections can serve as opportunities for investors to buy assets at lower prices and can signify healthy market reevaluations rather than prolonged downtrends.

Other options present thresholds of decline that exceed the common definition for a correction. For instance, a decline of 5% might not represent significant market sentiment change, while declines of 15% and 20% typically indicate bear markets or more severe downturns, thus falling outside the widely accepted parameters for what constitutes a market correction.