What is Dow Jones's average monthly return?

Dow Jones has averaged about 0.79% per month, positive in roughly 64% of months.

Dow Jones

Index

Market proxy DIA$534.231D -0.48%as of Aug 17, 3:55 PM ET

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Dow Jones monthly returns

Dow Jones has averaged 0.79% per month, positive in 64% of months. Month-by-month returns for the Dow Jones (proxied by DIA, dividends reinvested) below, through August 14, 2026 — the table lists the most recent months; the bar chart plots the last 5 years.

Average month

+0.8%

332 months

Best month

+14.0%

Oct 2022

Worst month

-13.6%

Mar 2020

Positive months

64%

of all months

Dow Jones monthly returns#

Dow Jones total return by month
Month	Path	Total return
Aug 2026		+2.4%
Jul 2026		+0.4%
Jun 2026		+2.3%
May 2026		+2.9%
Apr 2026		+7.3%
Mar 2026		-5.2%
Feb 2026		+0.3%
Jan 2026		+1.8%
Dec 2025		+0.9%
Nov 2025		+0.4%
Oct 2025		+2.6%
Sep 2025		+2.0%
Aug 2025		+3.4%
Jul 2025		+0.2%
Jun 2025		+4.5%
May 2025		+4.1%
Apr 2025		-3.2%
Mar 2025		-4.0%
Feb 2025		-1.4%
Jan 2025		+4.7%
Dec 2024		-5.2%
Nov 2024		+7.8%
Oct 2024		-1.3%
Sep 2024		+2.0%
Aug 2024		+2.0%
Jul 2024		+4.5%
Jun 2024		+1.2%
May 2024		+2.6%
Apr 2024		-4.9%
Mar 2024		+2.2%
Feb 2024		+2.4%
Jan 2024		+1.3%
Dec 2023		+4.9%
Nov 2023		+9.2%
Oct 2023		-1.3%
Sep 2023		-3.4%
Aug 2023		-2.0%
Jul 2023		+3.5%
Jun 2023		+4.6%
May 2023		-3.2%
Apr 2023		+2.6%
Mar 2023		+2.1%
Feb 2023		-4.0%
Jan 2023		+3.0%
Dec 2022		-4.1%
Nov 2022		+5.9%
Oct 2022		+14.0%
Sep 2022		-8.7%
Aug 2022		-3.8%
Jul 2022		+6.8%
Jun 2022		-6.6%
May 2022		+0.4%
Apr 2022		-4.9%
Mar 2022		+2.4%
Feb 2022		-3.2%
Jan 2022		-3.3%
Dec 2021		+5.5%
Nov 2021		-3.5%
Oct 2021		+5.9%
Sep 2021		-4.2%
Aug 2021		+1.4%
Jul 2021		+1.4%
Jun 2021		-0.1%
May 2021		+2.2%
Apr 2021		+2.7%
Mar 2021		+6.9%
Feb 2021		+3.4%
Jan 2021		-1.9%
Dec 2020		+3.3%
Nov 2020		+12.2%
Oct 2020		-4.4%
Sep 2020		-2.2%
Aug 2020		+7.8%
Jul 2020		+2.6%
Jun 2020		+1.7%
May 2020		+4.8%
Apr 2020		+11.0%
Mar 2020		-13.6%
Feb 2020		-9.6%
Jan 2020		-0.9%
Dec 2019		+1.8%
Nov 2019		+4.1%
Oct 2019		+0.5%
Sep 2019		+2.2%
Aug 2019		-1.4%
Jul 2019		+1.1%
Jun 2019		+7.4%
May 2019		-6.4%
Apr 2019		+2.6%
Mar 2019		+0.2%
Feb 2019		+3.9%
Jan 2019		+7.3%
Dec 2018		-8.5%
Nov 2018		+2.0%
Oct 2018		-4.9%
Sep 2018		+2.0%
Aug 2018		+2.4%
Jul 2018		+4.8%
Jun 2018		-0.4%
May 2018		+1.4%
Apr 2018		+0.1%
Mar 2018		-3.3%
Feb 2018		-4.1%
Jan 2018		+5.7%
Dec 2017		+2.1%
Nov 2017		+4.2%
Oct 2017		+4.5%
Sep 2017		+2.2%
Aug 2017		+0.6%
Jul 2017		+2.7%
Jun 2017		+1.7%
May 2017		+0.7%
Apr 2017		+1.4%
Mar 2017		-0.6%
Feb 2017		+5.1%
Jan 2017		+0.5%
Dec 2016		+3.4%
Nov 2016		+5.9%
Oct 2016		-0.8%
Sep 2016		-0.4%

Monthly total return (since Sep 2021)

-10%-5%+0%+5%+10%

20222023202420252026

Methodology#

Monthly returns are total returns (dividends reinvested), computed from DIA's split- and dividend-adjusted month-end closes. The table shows the most recent 120 months and the bar chart the most recent 60. See the year-by-year returns for the annual view. Past performance does not predict future returns; not investment advice.

FAQ#

What is Dow Jones's average monthly return?: the Dow Jones (proxied by DIA, dividends reinvested) has averaged about 0.79% per month, positive in roughly 64% of months. The best month was Oct 2022 (+14.0%) and the worst was Mar 2020 (-13.6%).