10/04/2013
Rockin' October
This October promises to be a rather volatile month. So a look at the past ten years’ performance in the three major indexes.
[October percentage moves]
Dow Jones
2003... 5.7
2004... -0.5
2005... -1.2
2006... 3.4
2007... 0.2
2008... -14.1
2009... 0.005
2010... 3.1
2011... 9.5
2012... -2.5
S&P 500
2003... 5.5
2004... 1.4
2005... -1.8
2006... 3.2
2007... 1.5
2008... -16.9
2009... -2.0
2010... 3.7
2011... 10.8
2012... -2.0
Nasdaq
2003... 8.1
2004... 4.1
2005... -1.5
2006... 4.8
2007... 5.8
2008... -17.7
2009... -3.6
2010... 5.9
2011... 11.1
2012... -4.5
So October 2008 stands out as that ugly performance was amid the financial crisis. But, post-1950, October 2008 also contained the two best daily percentage gains for both the Dow Jones and S&P.
Dow Jones
10/13/08... +11.1
10/28/08... +10.9
S&P 500
10/13/08... +11.6
10/28/08... +10.9
For Nasdaq, those two days were the second and third best since the index had its formation in 1971, up 11.8 and 9.5, respectively.
Yup, with talk of government shutdowns, debt-ceiling debates, still very much simmering geopolitical crises, and a call for a vote of confidence in Italy, October should be dicey.
Helmets on.
Sources: “2014 Stock Trader’s Almanac,” StocksandNews.com database
Wall Street History returns in two weeks.
Brian Trumbore
