Stock Market History on “Sell in May and Go Away” Adage

26th April, 2010

in Stock Market

may

“Sell in May and go away” adage or also widely know as Halloween indicator, is the belief that the period from November to April has significantly stronger growth on average than the other months.

In such strategies, stocks are sold at the start of May and the proceeds held in bonds or a deposit account. Stocks are bought again in November, typically around Halloween.

How true is this to our stock market? The table below shows the historical data since 1988.

Year Change in FBM KLCI (%) Change in Dow Jones (%)
May to Oct Nov to Apr May Effect May to Oct Nov to Apr May Effect
1988/89 10.7 27.5 5.7 12.6
1989/90 7.7 9.5 9.4 0.4 X
1990/91 -5.5 19.7 -8.1 18.2
1991/92 -9.7 11.3 6.3 9.4
1992/93 8.4 12.2 -4 6.2
1993/94 35.1 8.5 X 7.4 0 X
1994/95 5.2 -14.2 X 6.2 10.6
1995/96 0.6 24.2 10 17.1
1996/97 -1.8 -7.5 X 8.3 16.2
1997/98 -38.5 -5.8 6.2 21.8
1998/99 -35.2 66.5 -5.2 25.6
1999/00 10.1 20.9 -0.5 0
2000/01 -16.3 -22.3 X 2.2 -2.2 X
2001/02 2.7 32.3 -15.5 9.6
2002/03 -16.9 -4.4 -15.6 1
2003/04 29.6 2.6 X 15.6 4.3 X
2004/05 2.7 2.1 X -1.9 1.6
2005/06 3.6 4.2 2.4 8.9
2006/07 4.1 33.8 6.3 8.1
2007/08 6.9 -9.5 X 6.6 -8 X
2008/09 -32.5 14.7 -27.3 -12.4
2009/10 25.5 7.5 X 18.9 14.6 X
Total 14 of 22 16 of 22


From historical data, we can see that it does has impact. What do you think about this year?

Related posts:

  1. JStock, Free Software for Stock Market and Portfolio Management
  2. World Best Performing Stock Market in Q3, 2011
  3. Direct Market Access (DMA) for Equities Market
  4. e-dividend Payment System for Stock Market
  5. World’s Best and Worst Performing Stock Market in 2009
  6. Dateline for eDividend Payment for Stock Market
  7. How to Buy and Sell Shares in Bursa Malaysia?
  8. Invest EPF Money Directly in Stock Market
  9. ASB Stock Market Portfolio & Unitholder Distributions for 2010
  10. ASM Stock Market Portfolio & Unitholder Distributions for 2011

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

jack April 27, 2010 at 4:24 pm

Holders sell, buyers buy, magic formula of success in tradings.

Reply

Jayce May 1, 2010 at 11:47 am

Drop. The index up too much already since last year. It’s time for correction. ;)

Reply

ChampDog May 3, 2010 at 11:47 pm

Wow, got such thing? Thanks for the information…

Reply

FinancialSpreadBetting May 13, 2010 at 2:40 pm

Investors would’ve done well to sell this may and go away. Think this saying will prove true again this year.

Reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: