S&P 500 Seasonal Composite 4 Year Presidential Election Cycle The S&P 500 is following the familiar midterm‑year script, with gains often building into mid‑April before the market starts to lose momentum as the election comes into view. That midterm effect shows up almost every cycle. Image: Nautilus Research
S&P 500 Four-Year Presidential Cycle Midterm election years tend to shake up U.S. markets, as policy risks and political noise rise before voters hit the polls. Uncertainty is the one asset every portfolio gets stuck with, and election season always adds more to the mix. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Quarterly Returns Based on the Four-Year Presidential Cycle Midterm election years have a rough reputation. Q2 is usually the weakest quarter in the presidential cycle for U.S. stocks. With Q1 set to close deeply in the red, could this time be the exception? Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Performance per Year of a 4-Year Presidential Cycle Even when midterms shake investor sentiment, history leans bullish, with U.S. stocks up an average of 8.8% in second presidential terms since 1950. Midterm jitters often fade faster than many think. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Four-Year Cycle for 2026 The recent choppy trade fits the script of the four-year presidential cycle’s midterm-year rhythm. From March to April, the S&P 500 often rallies toward its yearly peak before sentiment softens into the midterms. Image: Ned Davis Research
Seasonality – S&P 500 Cycle Composite for 2026 The S&P 500 Cycle Composite is flagging 2026 as a bullish but choppy year, and for now, the market is playing along with that seasonal script. Image: Ned Davis Research
Pullbacks and Returns a Year Off the Lows for the S&P 500 Index Based on the 4-Year Presidential Cycle Midterm election years are rarely smooth sailing for U.S. stocks. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has on average tumbled 17.5% from its highs, the sharpest swoon in the four-year presidential cycle. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Index Returns Based on 4-Year Presidential Cycle Midterm election years rarely bring comfort to investors, but history still leans bullish. U.S. stocks tend to outperform in a President’s second term, as many view market dips as buying opportunities before the usual third-year rally. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Returns in December During Year One of the Presidential Cycle U.S. stocks have finished December in the red during the first year of the presidential cycle just once in the past 40 years, a record strong enough to keep the bulls smiling with an average 1.9% gain. Image: Carson Investment Research
Median U.S. 10-Year Treasury Yield Performance in Fed Rate Cuts Cycles Fed rate cuts usually pull short-term yields lower, but long Treasury bonds don’t always fall in line. Inflation expectations, shifting bets on future policy, or a flood of new debt can just as easily push them higher. Image: Deutsche Bank
S&P 500 Returns in December if >5% YTD End of November in Year One of Presidential Cycle Bulls are in luck. Since 1945, whenever the S&P 500 was up more than 5% YTD by November’s end in the first year of a presidential cycle, December has never missed and kept the rally going with an…