S&P 500
IndexMarket proxy SPY$765.841D +0.31%as of market close, Aug 25, 2026
S&P 500 monthly returns
S&P 500 has averaged 0.95% per month, positive in 65% of months. Month-by-month returns for the S&P 500 (proxied by SPY, dividends reinvested) below, through August 25, 2026 — the table lists the most recent months; the bar chart plots the last 5 years.
Average month
+0.9%
392 months
Best month
+12.7%
Apr 2020
Worst month
-16.5%
Oct 2008
Positive months
65%
of all months
S&P 500 monthly returns#
| Month | Path | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | +2.5% | |
| Jul 2026 | +0.1% | |
| Jun 2026 | -1.0% | |
| May 2026 | +5.3% | |
| Apr 2026 | +10.5% | |
| Mar 2026 | -4.9% | |
| Feb 2026 | -0.9% | |
| Jan 2026 | +1.5% | |
| Dec 2025 | +0.1% | |
| Nov 2025 | +0.2% | |
| Oct 2025 | +2.4% | |
| Sep 2025 | +3.6% | |
| Aug 2025 | +2.1% | |
| Jul 2025 | +2.3% | |
| Jun 2025 | +5.1% | |
| May 2025 | +6.3% | |
| Apr 2025 | -0.9% | |
| Mar 2025 | -5.6% | |
| Feb 2025 | -1.3% | |
| Jan 2025 | +2.7% | |
| Dec 2024 | -2.4% | |
| Nov 2024 | +6.0% | |
| Oct 2024 | -0.9% | |
| Sep 2024 | +2.1% | |
| Aug 2024 | +2.3% | |
| Jul 2024 | +1.2% | |
| Jun 2024 | +3.5% | |
| May 2024 | +5.1% | |
| Apr 2024 | -4.0% | |
| Mar 2024 | +3.3% | |
| Feb 2024 | +5.2% | |
| Jan 2024 | +1.6% | |
| Dec 2023 | +4.6% | |
| Nov 2023 | +9.1% | |
| Oct 2023 | -2.2% | |
| Sep 2023 | -4.7% | |
| Aug 2023 | -1.6% | |
| Jul 2023 | +3.3% | |
| Jun 2023 | +6.5% | |
| May 2023 | +0.5% | |
| Apr 2023 | +1.6% | |
| Mar 2023 | +3.7% | |
| Feb 2023 | -2.5% | |
| Jan 2023 | +6.3% | |
| Dec 2022 | -5.8% | |
| Nov 2022 | +5.6% | |
| Oct 2022 | +8.1% | |
| Sep 2022 | -9.2% | |
| Aug 2022 | -4.1% | |
| Jul 2022 | +9.2% | |
| Jun 2022 | -8.2% | |
| May 2022 | +0.2% | |
| Apr 2022 | -8.8% | |
| Mar 2022 | +3.8% | |
| Feb 2022 | -3.0% | |
| Jan 2022 | -5.3% | |
| Dec 2021 | +4.6% | |
| Nov 2021 | -0.8% | |
| Oct 2021 | +7.0% | |
| Sep 2021 | -4.7% | |
| Aug 2021 | +3.0% | |
| Jul 2021 | +2.4% | |
| Jun 2021 | +2.2% | |
| May 2021 | +0.7% | |
| Apr 2021 | +5.3% | |
| Mar 2021 | +4.5% | |
| Feb 2021 | +2.8% | |
| Jan 2021 | -1.0% | |
| Dec 2020 | +3.7% | |
| Nov 2020 | +10.9% | |
| Oct 2020 | -2.5% | |
| Sep 2020 | -3.7% | |
| Aug 2020 | +7.0% | |
| Jul 2020 | +5.9% | |
| Jun 2020 | +1.8% | |
| May 2020 | +4.8% | |
| Apr 2020 | +12.7% | |
| Mar 2020 | -12.5% | |
| Feb 2020 | -7.9% | |
| Jan 2020 | -0.0% | |
| Dec 2019 | +2.9% | |
| Nov 2019 | +3.6% | |
| Oct 2019 | +2.2% | |
| Sep 2019 | +1.9% | |
| Aug 2019 | -1.7% | |
| Jul 2019 | +1.5% | |
| Jun 2019 | +7.0% | |
| May 2019 | -6.4% | |
| Apr 2019 | +4.1% | |
| Mar 2019 | +1.8% | |
| Feb 2019 | +3.2% | |
| Jan 2019 | +8.0% | |
| Dec 2018 | -8.8% | |
| Nov 2018 | +1.9% | |
| Oct 2018 | -6.9% | |
| Sep 2018 | +0.6% | |
| Aug 2018 | +3.2% | |
| Jul 2018 | +3.7% | |
| Jun 2018 | +0.6% | |
| May 2018 | +2.4% | |
| Apr 2018 | +0.5% | |
| Mar 2018 | -2.7% | |
| Feb 2018 | -3.6% | |
| Jan 2018 | +5.6% | |
| Dec 2017 | +1.2% | |
| Nov 2017 | +3.1% | |
| Oct 2017 | +2.4% | |
| Sep 2017 | +2.0% | |
| Aug 2017 | +0.3% | |
| Jul 2017 | +2.1% | |
| Jun 2017 | +0.6% | |
| May 2017 | +1.4% | |
| Apr 2017 | +1.0% | |
| Mar 2017 | +0.1% | |
| Feb 2017 | +3.9% | |
| Jan 2017 | +1.8% | |
| Dec 2016 | +2.0% | |
| Nov 2016 | +3.7% | |
| Oct 2016 | -1.7% | |
| Sep 2016 | +0.0% |
Monthly total return (since Sep 2021)#
-10%-5%0%5%10%
Sep 2021-4.7%
Oct 2021+7.0%
Nov 2021-0.8%
Dec 2021+4.6%
Jan 2022-5.3%2022
Feb 2022-3.0%
Mar 2022+3.8%
Apr 2022-8.8%
May 2022+0.23%
Jun 2022-8.2%
Jul 2022+9.2%
Aug 2022-4.1%
Sep 2022-9.2%
Oct 2022+8.1%
Nov 2022+5.6%
Dec 2022-5.8%
Jan 2023+6.3%2023
Feb 2023-2.5%
Mar 2023+3.7%
Apr 2023+1.6%
May 2023+0.46%
Jun 2023+6.5%
Jul 2023+3.3%
Aug 2023-1.6%
Sep 2023-4.7%
Oct 2023-2.2%
Nov 2023+9.1%
Dec 2023+4.6%
Jan 2024+1.6%2024
Feb 2024+5.2%
Mar 2024+3.3%
Apr 2024-4.0%
May 2024+5.1%
Jun 2024+3.5%
Jul 2024+1.2%
Aug 2024+2.3%
Sep 2024+2.1%
Oct 2024-0.89%
Nov 2024+6.0%
Dec 2024-2.4%
Jan 2025+2.7%2025
Feb 2025-1.3%
Mar 2025-5.6%
Apr 2025-0.87%
May 2025+6.3%
Jun 2025+5.1%
Jul 2025+2.3%
Aug 2025+2.1%
Sep 2025+3.6%
Oct 2025+2.4%
Nov 2025+0.19%
Dec 2025+0.08%
Jan 2026+1.5%2026
Feb 2026-0.86%
Mar 2026-4.9%
Apr 2026+11%
May 2026+5.3%
Jun 2026-1.0%
Jul 2026+0.05%
Aug 2026+2.5%
Methodology#
Monthly returns are total returns (dividends reinvested), computed from SPY'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 S&P 500's average monthly return?
- the S&P 500 (proxied by SPY, dividends reinvested) has averaged about 0.95% per month, positive in roughly 65% of months. The best month was Apr 2020 (+12.7%) and the worst was Oct 2008 (-16.5%).
More on S&P 500
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