CXO Advisory

May is the first month in what historically is the weakest six-month period for stocks, and the major equity benchmarks did nothing to break that ominous precedent on Friday, May 1, as the S&P 500 slipped 2.8% in the first trading day of the month. Historical data indicate May isn't as bad...

After a bloody October for U.S. stocks, several sectors enter November battered. October brought some of the worst monthly losses on record for several sectors and the related exchange traded funds and that's true across styles and market cap segments. So it may not be surprising some investors...

In equity markets, May's reputation is not the best. After all, it is the month that investors are supposed to sell in and go away, according to the old adage. To be fair, the historical performance of the S&P 500 in the fifth month of the year is neither good nor bad. Over the past two...

April is here, and if past precedent holds true to form, that could be good news for investors who are long U.S. stocks. Over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 averaged an April gain of 1.8 percent while finishing higher 75 percent of the time, according to EquityClock.com. In terms of percentage...

February is here, but that may not mean much to U.S. stocks. Over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 has been flat in February, posting an average win rate of 55 percent. The best February performance for the S&P 500 over those two decades came in 1998, when the benchmark U.S. equity gauge...

November is here, and with the arrival of the eleventh month of the year comes the start of the best six-month period for stocks. On a historical basis, November is indeed a strong month for U.S. equities. Over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 has averaged a November gain of 1.5 percent, tying...

August lived up to its historical billing as the worst month for U.S. equities. While the S&P 500's modest decline did not match the average 1.3-percent drop seen in the previous 20 Augusts, this August was the first month of 2017 in which the benchmark U.S. equity index closed in the red....

Tuesday marks the arrival of August, historically one of the worst months for U.S. equities. On average over the past two decades, the S&P 500 has lost 1.3 percent in the eighth month of the year, according to data from EquityClock.com. Said differently, August is, at least on average over the...

July is here and although the seventh month of the year clearly resides in the weaker six-month period for stocks, the S&P 500 usually is not too bad in July. Over the past 20 Julys, the benchmark U.S. equity gauge has averaged a gain of 0.7 percent while closing higher 50 percent of the time....

For all the talk about selling in May and going away, May 2017 proved to be a good month for U.S. stocks as the S&P 500 gained about 1.2 percent. June is here, which could bring some retrenchment for stocks if the sixth month of the year holds true to historical form. Over the past 20 years,...

The May trading month starts Monday, and there will likely be the usual conjecture about "selling in May and going away," but it is also worth remembering May is not the worst month of the year for stocks. Not even close. In fact, the S&P 500 usually rises in the fifth month of the year. Over...

February is here, and although the second month of the year resides in the stronger of the two six-month periods for stocks, this month is not known for jaw-dropping equity returns. Over the past two decades, the S&P 500 has posted an average loss of 0.2 percent, according to EquityClock.com....

December arrives Thursday, and with it comes visions of a Santa Claus rally on Wall Street. While it remains to be seen whether Santa delivers for investors this year, December's reputation as a good month for equities is well-deserved. Over the past two decades, the S&P 500 has posted an...

November is here, and if the eleventh month of the year lives up to its historical reputation, equity market bulls should be pleased. Over the past two decades, the S&P 500 has posted an average November gain of 1.7 percent, making the second-best month of the year for stocks, behind April and...

October is the month in which some of the most memorable declines for U.S. stocks have taken place, but the tenth month of the year is more kind to equities than many investors are led to believe. Historical data indicate that over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 averages an October gain of 2.1...