Stocks Poised for First September Gain in 5 Years. Why More Good Times Could Lie Ahead
September has historically been the worst month for U.S. stocks - but not this year. In the U.S., the month of September is associated with a lot of things, including the start of school and, more importantly, football season. It's also known for being a particularly brutal month for the stock market.But maybe not this year. As of Friday, U.S. stocks were on track to finish higher in September for the first time in five years, according to Dow Jones Market Data.This represents a notable divergence from a well-established historical trend. After all, September has a reliable track record for being the worst stretch of the calendar year for the market. In fact, Dow Jones data going back nearly a century show the S&P 500 SPX has seen an average September return of minus 1.2%, while other major indexes have seen similarly dismal results, as the chart below shows.Fed cut helped rescue stocks, but more volatility could lie ahead