Worried About a September Swoon for Stocks? Don't Be. Here's Why.

With the market suddenly -- and measurably -- down just since the end of August, investors are understandably worried that this September could live up to its bearish reputation. It's one of only three months of the year that the S&P 500 tends to lose ground, but with an average loss of nearly 0.9%, it's also the most painful of those three. Depending on the year, this month has dished out far worse. That's what makes this year's early September weakness so concerning; it might be an omen of what's to come.Before shedding all of your stocks in a panic, though, you might want to look at all the relevant information surrounding this phenomenon. The best course of action here is arguably doing nothing but ignoring what looks like the beginning of a predictable September swoon.For the record, there's some truth to September being a bad month for stocks. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has lost ground in 42 of the last 74 Septembers, and it has only mustered gains in 32 of them. The average loss of 3.75% in a down year is also greater than the average gain of 3.25% in an up year. Indeed, going back for a century now, this ill-fated month loses ground more often than it rises.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool