S&P 500 Quarterly Returns Based on the Four-Year Presidential Cycle

S&P 500 Quarterly Returns Based on the Four-Year Presidential Cycle Bulls are still smiling. Historically, the S&P 500 has found its sweet spot from the fourth quarter of a president’s second year through the second quarter of the third year, a roughly nine-month window. Image: Carson Investment Research

S&P 500 Presidential Cycle

S&P 500 Presidential Cycle Year three of the presidential cycle is Wall Street’s historically strongest period. With that phase just around the corner, the S&P 500 looks positioned for a solid 2027, enough to keep bulls confident. Image: Carson Investment Research

S&P 500 Performance per Year of a 4-Year Presidential Cycle

S&P 500 Performance per Year of a 4-Year Presidential Cycle Midterm years have a reputation for shaky markets. History tells a different story in second presidential terms, with U.S. stocks averaging an 8.8% gain since 1950. Those midterm jitters tend to fade quicker than investors expect. Image: Carson Investment Research

S&P 500 Four-Year Presidential Cycle

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 at the Start of a Presidential Term

S&P 500 at the Start of a Presidential Term The S&P 500 experienced its worst start to a U.S. presidential term in decades after the president’s inauguration on January 20, 2025. Hopes tied to tax cuts and deregulation faded fast as trade-war fears took center stage. Image: Bloomberg

S&P 500 Index Returns Based on 4-Year Presidential Cycle

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

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

Stock Returns over the Past 33 Presidential Terms Starting on Inauguration Day

Stock Returns over the Past 33 Presidential Terms Starting on Inauguration Day U.S. stocks, after experiencing a historic drop at the start of the year, have made a strong recovery during Trump’s second term and are now in positive territory for 2025, fueling renewed optimism among bulls. Image: Carson Investment Research

U.S. Presidential Approval Rating vs. Consumer Confidence

U.S. Presidential Approval Rating vs. Consumer Confidence Trump’s approval exceeds Biden’s late-term lows, but deteriorating consumer confidence’s predictive power signals substantial downside risk as economic anxieties translate into political consequences. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation