As you can see in the chart below that looks back over the past 69 years at the US stock market major sectors (SP500, small caps, technology and industrials), September has been the only month, “on average”, that every one of those sectors closed lower than where it opened. In other words, lost money.

While this data might trigger a negative emotional response like Sell! Sell! Or even Sell!  Before succumbing to the fear, check what the data’s message is after September. The total “average” gains made in Oct-Dec for all major sectors well exceed the “average” losses in September. Your response to these questions tells a lot about you as an investor.

What this tells me is that the higher probability is to expect more choppy action this month and there is no reason, yet, to add risk to portfolio’s in anticipation of Q4’s “average” rise.