Monthly Market Updates

The streak of positive months for bond investors ended in October as rising interest rates hit bond prices.

Stocks rallied in September to cap off a strong third quarter, supported by higher-than-expected earnings growth.

Stock returns were positive in August despite a brief sell-off at the start of the month.

Markets continued to rise, with all three major U.S. indices growing in June. The S&P 500 gained 3.59 percent in June and 4.28 percent for the quarter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 1.23 percent in June, but weakness in April caused the index to fall 1.27 percent during the second quarter. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite led the way with a 6.03 percent gain in June and an 8.47 percent increase in the second quarter. Solid fundamentals and an improving economic backdrop helped support equity market returns in June.

Markets rallied in May, with all three major U.S. indices up for the month. The S&P 500 gained 4.96 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average grew 2.58 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite soared 6.98 percent. Equity markets were supported by solid earnings growth and lower interest rates.

All three major U.S. indices tumbled in April. The S&P 500 lost 4.08 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4.92 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 4.38 percent. The sell-off, which was the first monthly decline this year after a strong first quarter for stocks, was primarily due to rising interest rates during the month.

It was a positive March for stocks, capping off a strong quarter to start the year. The S&P 500 gained 3.22 percent in March and an impressive 10.56 percent in the first quarter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 2.21 percent during the month and 6.14 percent for the quarter. The Nasdaq Composite lagged its peers during the month but still had a strong start to the year, with a 1.85 percent gain in March and a 9.31 percent rise for the quarter. Improving fundamentals and a healthy economic backdrop helped drive the gains in the first quarter.

February was a good month for stocks, with all three major U.S. indices ending the month in positive territory. The S&P 500 gained 5.34 percent in February while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 2.50 percent. The Nasdaq Composite saw the largest gains during the month, with the technology-heavy index up more than 6.22 percent. Technology stocks rallied notably in February, due in part to increased investor optimism surrounding the potential for artificial intelligence-related investments.

It was a solid start to the new year for markets, with all three major U.S. equity indices starting the year in positive territory. The S&P 500 gained 1.68 percent in January while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up 1.31 percent. The Nasdaq Composite lagged its peers slightly during the month, as the technology-heavy index gained 1.04 percent in January. While the market gains in January were smaller than those in December, this still marked three consecutive months with positive returns for all three indices.

Markets continued to rally in December, with the positive returns during the month contributing to a strong end to the year. The S&P 500 gained 4.54 percent in December, 11.69 percent in the fourth quarter, and an impressive 26.29 percent over the course of the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up 4.93 percent for the month, 13.09 percent for the quarter, and 16.18 percent for the year. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite saw the largest gains with the index up 5.58 percent in December, 13.79 percent during the quarter, and 44.64 percent for the year. Markets were boosted by signs of continued economic growth and falling interest rates at year-end.

Equity markets surged in November, offsetting losses from the prior three months. All three major U.S. indices were up notably for the month. The S&P 500 gained 9.13 percent while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) rose 9.15 percent. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite led the way, with a strong 10.83 percent return in November. Equities benefited from falling interest rates throughout November, which helped drive valuations up during the month.

Equity markets continued to drop in October, with all three major U.S. indices down for the third consecutive month. The S&P 500 lost 2.1 percent while the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.26 percent. The Nasdaq Composite saw the largest drop, with the technology-heavy index down 2.76 percent in October and rising long-term interest rates weighing on stock valuations.

Equity markets fell for the second consecutive month in September, causing all three major U.S. indices to end the month and quarter in the red. The S&P 500 lost 4.77 percent for the month and 3.27 percent for the quarter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down 3.42 percent in September and 2.10 percent for the quarter. The Nasdaq Composite saw the largest declines, with the technology-heavy index dropping 5.77 percent for the month and 3.94 percent for the quarter. Rising rates and concerns surrounding a potential government shutdown at month-end weighed on equities.

Equity markets fell in August as investors pulled back from riskier investments. The S&P 500 lost 1.59 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.01 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.05 percent. Despite the modest August declines, all three major U.S. indices remained in positive territory for the quarter and year-to-date.

Equity markets rallied in July, with rising investor confidence helping to support stocks to start the second half of the year. The S&P 500 rose 3.21 percent during the month while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 3.44 percent. The Nasdaq Composite led the way with a 4.08 percent gain as technology stocks continued to rally. These positive results helped bring all three indices near their respective all-time highs that were set in late 2021 and early 2022.

June was a strong month for equity markets as resolution of the debt ceiling impasse helped lower uncertainty and supported a risk-on environment. The positive monthly returns capped a solid quarter for stocks. The S&P 500 gained 6.61 percent for the month and 8.74 percent for the quarter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4.68 percent in June and 3.97 percent for the quarter. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite led the way, returning 6.65 percent in June and 13.05 percent in the quarter.

Equities experienced a mixed month in May as technology-related stocks rallied while most other sectors remained flat or fell. The S&P 500 gained 0.43 percent while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.17 percent. The Nasdaq Composite led the way with a 5.93 percent return, supported by a surge in technology stocks due to a rise in investor enthusiasm surrounding AI at month-end.

Equity markets experienced continued gains in April, contributing to strong gains to start the year. The S&P 500 gained 1.56 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched a 2.57 percent return, and the Nasdaq Composite eked out a 0.07 percent increase.

Markets had a solid March, as a month-end rally helped bring all three major U.S. indices into positive territory for the month. The S&P 500 gained 3.67 percent while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) increased 2.08 percent and the Nasdaq Composite notched a 6.78 percent gain. March results helped offset weakness in February and all three indices ended the quarter in the green. The S&P 500, DJIA, and Nasdaq gained 7.50 percent, 0.93 percent, and 17.05 percent, respectively, for the quarter.

February was a challenging month for investors as early gains were wiped out by a late-month sell-off. All three major U.S. equity indices ended up in the red. The S&P 500 lost 2.44 percent in February while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 3.94 percent. The Nasdaq Composite held up the best of the three, with the technology-heavy index down 1.01 percent. Rising bond yields pressured equity valuations and performance in February.