Historically speaking, the six-month period between May and October each year tends to deliver weaker stock market returns than the period from November to April. According to the Corporate Finance Institute, the benchmark S&P 500 index has gained an average of just 2% each year in the May-to-October period dating back to 1945. The economic challenges that plagued the stock market in 2022 seem to be resolving, with inflation continuing to return to normal levels and interest rates expected to level off later this summer and maybe even fall a bit before the end of the year.