The first quarter of 2023 showed mixed results for stocks. The S&P 500 was up in January but fell about 4.9% over the following months. Historically, the first quarter is usually positive for the market, with average gains of 2.1% since 1980.
- Average gain for April is 1.6%.
- April has exceeded 5% gains eight times since 1980.
- Last year, stocks fell 4.2% in April.
| Year | Q1 Change | April Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Recovery | 9.4% |
| 2020 | Recovery | 12.7% |
| 2021 | Recovery | 5.1% |
