US Stock Market monthly returns
US Stock Market has averaged 0.91% per month, positive in 65% of months. Month-by-month returns for the US Stock Market (proxied by VTI, dividends reinvested) below, through October 13, 2026 — the table lists the most recent months; the bar chart plots the last 5 years.
Average month
+0.9%
298 months
Best month
+13.1%
Apr 2020
Worst month
-17.5%
Oct 2008
Positive months
65%
of all months
US Stock Market monthly returns#
| Month | Path | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | +1.9% | |
| Sep 2026 | -0.8% | |
| Aug 2026 | +2.7% | |
| Jul 2026 | -0.5% | |
| Jun 2026 | -0.4% | |
| May 2026 | +5.2% | |
| Apr 2026 | +10.4% | |
| Mar 2026 | -5.0% | |
| Feb 2026 | -0.5% | |
| Jan 2026 | +1.6% | |
| Dec 2025 | -0.0% | |
| Nov 2025 | +0.3% | |
| Oct 2025 | +2.2% | |
| Sep 2025 | +3.4% | |
| Aug 2025 | +2.4% | |
| Jul 2025 | +2.3% | |
| Jun 2025 | +5.2% | |
| May 2025 | +6.3% | |
| Apr 2025 | -0.7% | |
| Mar 2025 | -5.9% | |
| Feb 2025 | -1.9% | |
| Jan 2025 | +3.0% | |
| Dec 2024 | -3.0% | |
| Nov 2024 | +6.7% | |
| Oct 2024 | -0.8% | |
| Sep 2024 | +2.0% | |
| Aug 2024 | +2.1% | |
| Jul 2024 | +1.9% | |
| Jun 2024 | +3.1% | |
| May 2024 | +4.8% | |
| Apr 2024 | -4.3% | |
| Mar 2024 | +3.3% | |
| Feb 2024 | +5.3% | |
| Jan 2024 | +1.1% | |
| Dec 2023 | +5.3% | |
| Nov 2023 | +9.4% | |
| Oct 2023 | -2.6% | |
| Sep 2023 | -4.8% | |
| Aug 2023 | -1.9% | |
| Jul 2023 | +3.7% | |
| Jun 2023 | +6.7% | |
| May 2023 | +0.4% | |
| Apr 2023 | +1.1% | |
| Mar 2023 | +2.7% | |
| Feb 2023 | -2.4% | |
| Jan 2023 | +6.9% | |
| Dec 2022 | -5.9% | |
| Nov 2022 | +5.2% | |
| Oct 2022 | +8.1% | |
| Sep 2022 | -9.2% | |
| Aug 2022 | -3.7% | |
| Jul 2022 | +9.3% | |
| Jun 2022 | -8.2% | |
| May 2022 | -0.3% | |
| Apr 2022 | -9.1% | |
| Mar 2022 | +3.3% | |
| Feb 2022 | -2.5% | |
| Jan 2022 | -6.1% | |
| Dec 2021 | +3.8% | |
| Nov 2021 | -1.5% | |
| Oct 2021 | +6.7% | |
| Sep 2021 | -4.5% | |
| Aug 2021 | +2.9% | |
| Jul 2021 | +1.7% | |
| Jun 2021 | +2.5% | |
| May 2021 | +0.5% | |
| Apr 2021 | +5.0% | |
| Mar 2021 | +3.6% | |
| Feb 2021 | +3.1% | |
| Jan 2021 | -0.3% | |
| Dec 2020 | +4.7% | |
| Nov 2020 | +11.8% | |
| Oct 2020 | -1.9% | |
| Sep 2020 | -3.5% | |
| Aug 2020 | +7.1% | |
| Jul 2020 | +5.7% | |
| Jun 2020 | +2.3% | |
| May 2020 | +5.4% | |
| Apr 2020 | +13.1% | |
| Mar 2020 | -13.9% | |
| Feb 2020 | -8.0% | |
| Jan 2020 | -0.1% | |
| Dec 2019 | +2.8% | |
| Nov 2019 | +3.8% | |
| Oct 2019 | +2.1% | |
| Sep 2019 | +1.8% | |
| Aug 2019 | -2.1% | |
| Jul 2019 | +1.4% | |
| Jun 2019 | +7.1% | |
| May 2019 | -6.4% | |
| Apr 2019 | +3.9% | |
| Mar 2019 | +1.4% | |
| Feb 2019 | +3.6% | |
| Jan 2019 | +8.5% | |
| Dec 2018 | -9.2% | |
| Nov 2018 | +2.0% | |
| Oct 2018 | -7.4% | |
| Sep 2018 | +0.2% | |
| Aug 2018 | +3.4% | |
| Jul 2018 | +3.3% | |
| Jun 2018 | +0.7% | |
| May 2018 | +2.7% | |
| Apr 2018 | +0.4% | |
| Mar 2018 | -2.0% | |
| Feb 2018 | -3.8% | |
| Jan 2018 | +5.2% | |
| Dec 2017 | +1.2% | |
| Nov 2017 | +3.0% | |
| Oct 2017 | +2.2% | |
| Sep 2017 | +2.4% | |
| Aug 2017 | +0.1% | |
| Jul 2017 | +1.9% | |
| Jun 2017 | +0.9% | |
| May 2017 | +1.0% | |
| Apr 2017 | +1.1% | |
| Mar 2017 | +0.1% | |
| Feb 2017 | +3.7% | |
| Jan 2017 | +1.9% | |
| Dec 2016 | +2.0% | |
| Nov 2016 | +4.5% |
Monthly total return (since Nov 2021)#
-10%-5%0%5%10%
Nov 2021-1.5%
Dec 2021+3.8%
Jan 2022-6.1%2022
Feb 2022-2.5%
Mar 2022+3.3%
Apr 2022-9.1%
May 2022-0.25%
Jun 2022-8.2%
Jul 2022+9.3%
Aug 2022-3.7%
Sep 2022-9.2%
Oct 2022+8.1%
Nov 2022+5.2%
Dec 2022-5.9%
Jan 2023+6.9%2023
Feb 2023-2.4%
Mar 2023+2.7%
Apr 2023+1.1%
May 2023+0.43%
Jun 2023+6.7%
Jul 2023+3.7%
Aug 2023-1.9%
Sep 2023-4.8%
Oct 2023-2.6%
Nov 2023+9.4%
Dec 2023+5.3%
Jan 2024+1.1%2024
Feb 2024+5.3%
Mar 2024+3.3%
Apr 2024-4.3%
May 2024+4.8%
Jun 2024+3.1%
Jul 2024+1.9%
Aug 2024+2.1%
Sep 2024+2.0%
Oct 2024-0.75%
Nov 2024+6.7%
Dec 2024-3.0%
Jan 2025+3.0%2025
Feb 2025-1.9%
Mar 2025-5.9%
Apr 2025-0.73%
May 2025+6.3%
Jun 2025+5.2%
Jul 2025+2.3%
Aug 2025+2.4%
Sep 2025+3.4%
Oct 2025+2.2%
Nov 2025+0.27%
Dec 2025-0.03%
Jan 2026+1.6%2026
Feb 2026-0.53%
Mar 2026-5.0%
Apr 2026+10%
May 2026+5.2%
Jun 2026-0.41%
Jul 2026-0.47%
Aug 2026+2.7%
Sep 2026-0.78%
Oct 2026+1.9%
US Stock Market returns by calendar month#
Every month of every year since 2002, one tick per year on a shared scale; the dark bar is the month's average. Total returns, dividends reinvested.
October 2026 so far: +1.89% — 14th of 25 Octobers since 2002 at the last close; the average October returned +1.4%.
| Month | −20%0+20% | Average | Median | Up | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | +0.3% | +1.1% | 52% | +8.5% 2019 | -8.0% 2009 | |
| Feb | +0.2% | +0.2% | 52% | +5.7% 2015 | -10.5% 2009 | |
| Mar | +0.8% | +1.1% | 68% | +8.3% 2009 | -13.9% 2020 | |
| Apr | +2.0% | +1.1% | 72% | +13.1% 2020 | -9.1% 2022 | |
| May | +1.2% | +1.7% | 72% | +6.3% 2025 | -7.9% 2010 | |
| Jun | +0.2% | +0.7% | 64% | +7.1% 2019 | -8.2% 2022 | |
| Jul | +1.8% | +1.9% | 68% | +9.3% 2022 | -8.3% 2002 | |
| Aug | +0.4% | +1.5% | 68% | +7.1% 2020 | -6.1% 2015 | |
| Sep | -0.7% | +0.2% | 56% | +9.5% 2010 | -10.1% 2002 | |
| Oct | +1.4% | +2.1% | 63% | +11.4% 2011 | -17.5% 2008 | |
| Nov | +2.7% | +2.6% | 83% | +11.8% 2020 | -8.0% 2008 | |
| Dec | +0.8% | +1.2% | 67% | +7.0% 2010 | -9.2% 2018 |
Methodology#
Monthly returns are total returns (dividends reinvested), computed from VTI'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 US Stock Market's average monthly return?
- the US Stock Market (proxied by VTI, dividends reinvested) has averaged about 0.91% per month, positive in roughly 65% of months. The best month was Apr 2020 (+13.1%) and the worst was Oct 2008 (-17.5%).
More on US Stock Market
- Returns by year+14.7%
- Yearly charts+17.1%
- Trailing returns+18.0%
- YTD return+14.7%
- Return calculator$1,812
- Average return10%?
- Companies & weights3477
- Stock performance3477
All 20 US Stock Market pages →By month for: S&P 500 · S&P 500 Equal Weight · Nasdaq-100 · Dow JonesTracked by VTI, ITOT, SCHB · all US Stock Market ETFs compared · VTI vs VOO · VTI vs VOO vs SPY · VTI vs VXUS · VTI vs VT