True to stereotype, March came in like a lion and is going out like a lamb — for the markets. Although when it come to stocks, the lamb may not be a quiet enough animal to serve as an adequate metaphor.
As of midday trading, Tuesday is set to be the 11th-straight day that the S&P 500 will close less than 1 percent above or below its prior close. Stocks haven't seen that long of a comparable period since June, when the S&P refused to move 1 percent for 12-straight sessions.
Over the past two years, the S&P has only seen seven prior stretches in which a 1 percent move has not been seen for this long or longer. But examining what broke those periods may be instructive.