S&P 500 in March
Since 1994, March has returned +0.9% on average (median +1.7%), and the S&P 500 has risen in 67% of Marchs — 7th of the 12 months by average. Total return, dividends reinvested, from SPY's month-end closes.
March 2026: -4.9% — 30th of 33 Marchs since 1994.
Every March since 1994 (total return)#
How March returns are spread#
33 Marchs since 1994, counted in 2% bins; the blue line is March 2026.
S&P 500 March returns by year#
| Year | Total return | Price return |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -4.9% | -5.2% |
| 2025 | -5.6% | -5.9% |
| 2024 | +3.3% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | +3.7% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | +3.8% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | +4.5% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | -12.5% | -13.0% |
| 2019 | +1.8% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | -2.7% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | +0.1% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | +6.7% | +6.2% |
| 2015 | -1.6% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | +0.8% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | +3.8% | +3.3% |
| 2012 | +3.2% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | +0.0% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | +6.1% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | +8.3% | +7.6% |
| 2008 | -0.9% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | +1.2% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | +1.7% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | -1.8% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | -1.3% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | +0.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | +3.3% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | -5.6% | -5.9% |
| 2000 | +9.7% | +9.4% |
| 1999 | +4.1% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | +4.9% | +4.6% |
| 1997 | -4.4% | -4.8% |
| 1996 | +1.7% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | +2.8% | +2.2% |
| 1994 | -4.2% | -4.7% |
Methodology#
Each March is the return from the last close of the month before to the last close of March, from SPY's closes since 1994: total return over its dividend-adjusted closes, price return over its split-adjusted closes. The month in progress is as of the last close and moves with the tape during the session; it is shown beside the record and never averaged into it. Past performance does not predict future returns; not investment advice.
ChartRow is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, S&P Global, Nasdaq, Inc., Robert Shiller, RSBB-I, LLC, or Yale University. "S&P 500®" and "Dow Jones®" are registered trademarks of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC; "Nasdaq-100®" is a registered trademark of Nasdaq, Inc.; "CAPE®" is a registered trademark of RSBB-I, LLC. They are used here only to identify the indexes and series discussed. All index-related figures on this page are independently derived from public sources — SEC filings, the public Shiller S&P 500 monthly series, and our own computations — not from any index provider's data feed.
FAQ#
- Is March a good month for the S&P 500?
- Since 1994, March has returned +0.9% on average (total return, dividends reinvested) with a median of +1.7%, and the S&P 500 rose in 22 of 33 Marchs (67%). By average return it ranks 7th of the 12 months.
- What was the S&P 500's best and worst March?
- The best March since 1994 was 2000 (+9.7%), the worst 2020 (-12.5%).
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