It's Time to Bet on a Year-End Rally
I can't buy now... the economy.
I can't buy now... the election.
I can't buy now... valuations.
Ask any investor for their biggest hang-up, and you might get one of these answers. Worries like these are keeping a lot of folks awake at night – and out of the market.
In reality, though, we're two years into a powerful bull market. Stocks are up 60% since the October 2022 bottom.
All the fear looks a lot less rational when you realize how profitable stocks have been. But one of the most consistent investment truisms is this...
Investors love to hate a bull market.
It feels prudent – even wise – to expect the worst. So poking holes in the rally becomes a habit... even though history tells us that higher prices usually lead to higher prices.
This year has been incredible so far. According to history, that nearly guarantees we'll see strong returns to finish the year. And that means we want to stay long right now...
We are in a bull market. No matter how many fears you might have, there's no getting around that fact.
Stocks have been on a tear in 2024. And this bull market has made the past two years some of the best in recent memory. Take a look...
This boom intensified this year. Stocks jumped 20% in the first 10 months of 2024.
Since 1950, that's the 10th-best return in the first 10 months of the year. And importantly, this strong start makes more gains all but certain.
To see it, I looked at the S&P 500 Index's returns over the past 75 years. Here's what has happened historically after stocks jumped 20%-plus in the first 10 months...
Strength begets strength. When stocks are moving higher, they tend to keep moving higher. And a great first 10 months means we can expect more gains ahead...
Stocks historically finished those years with a 5.9% gain in the final two months. That's nearly double the typical return in November and December. And the market was higher by year-end 100% of the time.
What's more, these setups tend to last. Stocks were up 9.9% a year later... a solid improvement over the typical one-year gain of 8.1%.
Plenty of investors are scouring the headlines looking for reasons to sell. That's no surprise, given the incredible rally we've seen over the past two years. But history shows that selling – or even finding a reason not to buy – is a big mistake right now.
Instead, stick with the bull market that's underway... and be prepared for a strong rally to end an already fantastic year.
Good investing,
Brett Eversole
Further Reading
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in September – with no recession in the economy. Many folks are hung up about what that means... and whether rate cuts will pause this week. But this bull market has more room to grow... Learn more here.
"It might feel wrong to buy stocks after they hit a new high," Brett writes. "But the math proves it's the right decision." The S&P 500 has been hitting new highs recently... and so has a broader way to measure the market. That means this rally is still healthy... Read more here.