Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
S&P 500 August seasonality tends to net out close to flat, yet the month is historically the lowest for trading volume on Wall Street.
John Kicklighter, StoneX Senior Strategist and Global Head of Content, explains how the S&P 500 works as a barometer of risk appetite and why August so often drifts.
Kicklighter looks at why August ranks as the lowest volume month, what the summer doldrums mean for participation and volatility, and how a fast start compares with decades of history. He also weighs the forces that could break the calm, from earnings and the Nvidia tail to AI enthusiasm, U.S.-Iran tensions, reviving tariffs and sticky inflation.
Discover Actionable Insights with the latest Market Outlook Reports: intel.stonex.com/offer?language=en&campaignId=A908C315-DC62-4F35-AC16-870BB71E84D1&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sxtv_guest_john_kicklighter&utm_content=share
The S&P 500 and the Delicate Art of Measuring Market Risk Appetite: stonex.com/en-us/insights/the-sandp-500-and-the-delicate-art-of-measuring-market-risk-appetite
0:00 S&P 500 Bucks Its Quiet Season
0:32 A Fast Start Beats the Norm
1:18 Inside the Summer Doldrums
1:45 August Averages Hide Outliers
3:21 August Runs on Thin Volume
4:21 Catalysts That Break the Calm
Like and subscribe for more financial market insights.
#SP500 #StoneX #JohnKicklighter
S&P 500 August seasonality tends to net out close to flat, yet the month is historically the lowest for trading volume on Wall Street.
John Kicklighter, StoneX Senior Strategist and Global Head of Content, explains how the S&P 500 works as a barometer of risk appetite and why August so often drifts.
Kicklighter looks at why August ranks as the lowest volume month, what the summer doldrums mean for participation and volatility, and how a fast start compares with decades of history. He also weighs the forces that could break the calm, from earnings and the Nvidia tail to AI enthusiasm, U.S.-Iran tensions, reviving tariffs and sticky inflation.
Discover Actionable Insights with the latest Market Outlook Reports: intel.stonex.com/offer?language=en&campaignId=A908C315-DC62-4F35-AC16-870BB71E84D1&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sxtv_guest_john_kicklighter&utm_content=share
The S&P 500 and the Delicate Art of Measuring Market Risk Appetite: stonex.com/en-us/insights/the-sandp-500-and-the-delicate-art-of-measuring-market-risk-appetite
0:00 S&P 500 Bucks Its Quiet Season
0:32 A Fast Start Beats the Norm
1:18 Inside the Summer Doldrums
1:45 August Averages Hide Outliers
3:21 August Runs on Thin Volume
4:21 Catalysts That Break the Calm
Like and subscribe for more financial market insights.
#SP500 #StoneX #JohnKicklighter
