seasonality

Santa Claus has been benign even to the markets, as is evident from the typically strong rally witnessed at the end of the year. Named the "Santa Claus Rally," this annual trend refers to the strong upward move in stock prices between Christmas and New Year's. Now, how is this...

Kohl's Corporation (NYSE: KSS) will report its third-quarter earnings on Thursday. Despite current retail weakness and the company’s stock lagging behind department store competitors this year, Bank of America named Kohl’s the top department store idea for the holiday shopping season....

For Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Kohl's Corporation (NYSE: KSS) continues to be its top idea within the department store sector, while the firm remains cautious on Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN). The Sector Preview Department store retailers are set to announce their quarterly numbers amid...

Analyzing the September sales results of soft-line retailers, MKM Partners said it believes better margins likely drove performance in the third quarter. The firm believes that the industry is largely in good shape based on Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS)'s September showing and its weekly checks. Reduced...

Retail investors hoping for a busy holiday shopping season will either be extremely encouraged or discouraged, and it all depends upon who they listen to. According to Gadfly's Shelly Banjo, retailers are saying their outlook for the holiday season is the "shakiest" it has been in years. For...

Following the first presidential debate on Monday, the presidential race is closer than ever. The latest LA Times/USC Tracking numbers out on Friday have Republican Donald Trump in the lead by 5 percent. A New Rasmussen Reports poll on Thursday has Democrat Hillary Clinton in the lead by 1 point....

October is the month in which some of the most memorable declines for U.S. stocks have taken place, but the tenth month of the year is more kind to equities than many investors are led to believe. Historical data indicate that over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 averages an October gain of 2.1...

Despite all the uncertainty surrounding the retail environment currently, Argus Research is optimistic about the upcoming holiday season. "We think it's going to be a good Christmas," said Argus Research on a conference call held Tuesday. U.S. household incomes increasing for the first time in...

One perception of September is it marks the start of autumn. In financial markets, that does not necessarily mean the return of risk appetite. Over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 has averaged a September loss of 0.3 percent. Keeping with the theme of needing to wait a little while longer before...

Wednesday is August's final trading day, and the markets will be closed the following Monday in observation of Labor Day. When trading activity resumes on Tuesday, it will mark the start of a very busy month ahead. September's key events include the first U.S. presidential debate, a Federal Reserve...

For some, August marks the beginning of the end of summer. For others, August is time for back to school shopping. For many investors, however, August is also a rally killer month. According to analysts at Argus Research, the current "unsettled environment" in the stock market also happens to be "...

Today is the last trading day of July, marking a good time for traders to start setting the table for August. The eighth month of the year may bring hot temperatures outside, but on Wall Street, historical data suggest August is ice cold. Historical Performances Over the past 20 years, the S&P...

Investors looking to allocate some of their investment dollars to a sector that typically outperforms others in the summer should consider utilities, at least according to CNBC's Landon Dowdy. Dowdy detailed on Thursday some of the top performing sectors during the summer months. According to Dowdy...

Anyone familiar with the Wall Street adage “sell in May and go away” knows the summer months aren’t typically the best time of year to own stocks. However, since the Financial Crisis, July has certainly been an exception to the rule. The S&P 500 has logged gains in five of the...

After a surprisingly strong June, investors now turn their attention to the start of July and the third quarter. For all the talk about the summer months being unkind to stocks, July defies that conventional wisdom. Over the past two decades, the S&P 500 has notched an average July gain of 0.3...