November Almanac: First of the “Best Months” By: Jeffrey A. Hirsch & Christopher Mistal | October 25, 2018 | Email | Print

November maintains its status among the top performing months as fourth-quarter cash inflows from institutions drive November to lead the best consecutive three-month span November-January. The month has taken hits during bear markets and November 2000, down –22.9% (undecided election and a nascent bear), was NASDAQ’s second worst month on record—only October 1987 was worse.

 

November begins the “Best Six Months” for the DJIA and S&P 500, and the “Best Eight Months” for NASDAQ. Small caps come into favor during November, but don’t really take off until the last two weeks of the year. November is the number-three DJIA (since 1950) and NASDAQ (since 1971) month. November is second best for S&P 500 (since 1950) and Russell 2000 (since 1979).  November is the Russell 1000’s best month (since 1979).

 

In midterm years, November’s market prowess is relatively unchanged. DJIA has advanced in 13 of the last 17 midterm years since 1950 with an average gain of 2.5%. S&P 500 has also been up in 13 of the past 17 midterm years, gaining on average 2.6%. Small-caps perform well with Russell 2000 climbing in 6 of the past 9 midterm years, averaging 3.5%. The only real blemish in the November midterm-year record is 1974 (DJIA –7.0%, bear market ended in December).

 

 

 

Options expiration often coincides with the week before Thanksgiving. DJIA posted ten straight gains 1993-2002 and has been up 19 of the last 25 weeks before Thanksgiving. The Monday of expiration week has been streaky, but the net result since 1994 is 15 DJIA gains in 24 years. Options expiration day has a clearly bullish bias, up 12 of the last 16. The week after expiration has been improving lately, up five of the last six after being down five of six from 2006 to 2011.

 

Being a bullish month November has five bullish days, though it does have weak points. NASDAQ and Russell 2000 exhibit the greatest strength at the beginning and end of November. Russell 2000 is notably bearish on the 12th trading day of the month, when the small-cap benchmark has risen just seven times in the last 34 years (since 1984). The Russell 2000’s average decline is 0.41% on the day. Recent weakness around Thanksgiving has shifted DJIA and S&P 500 strength to mirror that of NASDAQ and Russell 2000 with the majority of bullish days at the beginning and end of the month. The best way to trade Thanksgiving is to go long into weakness the week before the holiday and exit into strength just before or after.