How is a "financial bubble" characterized?

A financial bubble is characterized by a significant rise in asset prices beyond their intrinsic value. This occurs when speculative trading drives prices up, often fueled by investor enthusiasm and a willingness to buy at inflated prices, despite the underlying fundamentals not supporting such valuations.

In these scenarios, the asset's price increases rapidly, detaching it from reality and logical valuation, creating an unsustainable situation. Eventually, when the bubble bursts, the asset prices decline sharply, often leading to substantial financial losses for those who purchased at the peak. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial in finance, as it highlights the risks associated with irrational exuberance in markets.

The other options present characteristics that do not align with the nature of a financial bubble. For example, stable prices over a long duration suggest a balance in supply and demand, while consistent growth in economic productivity indicates a healthy economic environment without the speculative excesses that define a bubble. Similarly, increased demand for low-cost assets may reflect a market correction rather than the explosive growth typical of a bubble scenario.