Investing.com - After a Brexit-fueled bumpy start, markets entered a long and boring summer lull, with many traders closing books and going on vacation.
The S&P 500 has been on a 38-day streak without moving 1% in either direction, while the VIX, which measures the volatility of the stock market, has been declining since the Brexit vote in June.
Moreover, volume of trading in the market has been incredibly light over the past two months.
But as we get into September, the summer lull looks set to end with a bang, as investors returning from vacation turn their attention to the growing possibility the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates in the weeks ahead.
Historically, September is an awful month for the U.S. stock market. The S&P has dropped in September 57% of the time, and it’s the month with the weakest average performance, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
For the Dow, September has produced an average loss of 1.1%. The 11 other months of the calendar, in contrast, have produced an average gain of 0.8%.
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