For Investors, September Is the Cruelest Month

Average Monthly Performance of the Dow (1896-2007):

MONTH	% POSITIVE	% NEGATIVE	AVG % RETURN
Dec	71.6	28.4	1.4
Jan	64.9	34.2	1.1
Aug	63.6	36.4	1.2
Nov	61.5	38.5	1.1
Jul	60.7	39.3	1.3
Mar	60.4	39.6	0.7
Oct	59.1	40.9	0.3
Apr	55.9	44.1	1.1
May	51.4	48.7	0.1
Feb	50.5	49.5	-0.2
Jun	50.0	50.0	0.4
Sep	40.9	59.1	-1.2

Average Monthly Performance of the NASDAQ (1971-2007):

MONTH	% POSITIVE	% NEGATIVE	AVG % RETURN
Jan	69.4	30.6	3.5
Nov	68.6	31.4	2.1
Mar	62.2	37.8	0.3
Apr	62.2	37.8	1.1
May	59.5	40.5	1.1
Jun	59.5	40.5	1.2
Dec	57.1	42.9	1.9
Aug	52.8	47.2	0.3
Sep	52.8	47.2	-0.9
Oct	52.8	47.2	0.6
Feb	50.0	50.0	0.4
Jul	46.0	54.1	-0.4

Average Monthly Performance of the S&P 500 (1928-2007):

MONTH	% POSITIVE	% NEGATIVE	AVG % RETURN
Dec	73.1	26.9	1.4
Jan	65.8	34.2	1.5
Mar	61.3	38.8	0.4
Apr	61.3	38.8	1.1
Oct	59.5	40.5	0.5
Nov	59.0	41.0	0.9
Aug	58.2	41.8	0.8
Jun	56.3	43.8	0.9
Jul	56.3	43.8	1.4
May	56.3	43.8	-0.1
Feb	51.3	48.8	-0.1
Sep	43.0	55.7	-1.2