April (and Positive Earnings) Should Lift Stocks

Commentary I spent a lot of time out West last week, and the weather was a mixture of rain and snow, depending on the location and altitude—but the good news is that the snow was a heavy spring snow, which melted fast. In most other locations, spring is in the air. The truth of the matter is that everyone likes spring. Whether it is the tree blossoms, the tulips waking up, or just the better weather, spring is a happy time of year. This good feeling rubs off on the stock market. That is one reason why April is a seasonally strong month. According to Bespoke Investment Group, the Dow index has gained an average of 2.2 percent in the last 50 Aprils. Another reason that April is such a strong month is due to annual pension funding before taxes are filed since the first half of April is usually superior to the second half when you look at April’s results....