{"id":239763,"date":"2026-03-04T10:15:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T15:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/?p=239763"},"modified":"2026-03-05T05:42:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T10:42:29","slug":"march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/","title":{"rendered":"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&amp;P 500 equity market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The chart below shows that over the last 15 years, the S&amp;P 500 has produced an average return of -0.09% during March, with an annualized return of -1.06%. While the winning percentage stands at 66.67%, the overall pattern is flat-to-soft, with cumulative performance showing a clear tendency to stall rather than extend higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"624\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-seasonax-1100x624.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239764 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-seasonax-1100x624.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-seasonax-700x397.jpg 700w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-seasonax-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-seasonax-768x436.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-seasonax.jpg 1282w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1100px; aspect-ratio: 1100\/624;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The analyzed period shows that March has historically acted as a pause month for the S&amp;P 500, with flat to soft returns over the past 15 years. Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/seasonax.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seasonax<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words: March has historically been a month for consolidation and&nbsp;<em>not&nbsp;<\/em>strong upside continuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-march-a-seasonal-reset-month-for-the-s-amp-p-500\"><strong>March: A Seasonal Reset Month For The S&amp;P 500<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking at the broader monthly distribution over the past 15 years, March ranks among the weaker months for the S&amp;P 500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"397\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/pattern-return-sp500-analysis-seasonax-1100x397.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239766 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/pattern-return-sp500-analysis-seasonax-1100x397.png 1100w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/pattern-return-sp500-analysis-seasonax-700x253.png 700w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/pattern-return-sp500-analysis-seasonax-300x108.png 300w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/pattern-return-sp500-analysis-seasonax-768x277.png 768w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/pattern-return-sp500-analysis-seasonax.png 1268w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1100px; aspect-ratio: 1100\/397;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The monthly performance highlights that March tends to sit among the weaker seasonal periods for US equities. Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/seasonax.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seasonax<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because several dynamics tend to converge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Q1 positioning adjustments as portfolio managers adjust the balance of their bond and equity allocations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earnings blackout periods ahead of April reporting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Policy uncertainty around Fed meetings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pre-tax season liquidity effects. Ahead of the mid-April US tax deadline, investors and corporations often raise cash to meet tax payments, which can temporarily reduce market liquidity and dampen buying momentum in March.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The cumulative profit curve for March below highlights this hesitation clearly \u2013 gains are often made early in the month (left-hand side of the chart below) before volatility picks up mid-to-late March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"371\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/cumulative-profit-seasonal-analysis-sp500-1100x371.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239767 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/cumulative-profit-seasonal-analysis-sp500-1100x371.png 1100w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/cumulative-profit-seasonal-analysis-sp500-700x236.png 700w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/cumulative-profit-seasonal-analysis-sp500-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/cumulative-profit-seasonal-analysis-sp500-768x259.png 768w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/cumulative-profit-seasonal-analysis-sp500.png 1263w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1100px; aspect-ratio: 1100\/371;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The cumulative March profit curve shows how early gains often fade as volatility rises later in the month. Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/seasonax.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seasonax<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, the pattern return distribution shows several negative outliers, including sharp downside moves around the 20th trading day of the month \u2013 a reminder that volatility can expand quickly even in otherwise constructive years. The period between March 16 and March 23 over the last 15 years is highlighted in the chart below. There has been an average fall of 0.50%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"620\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-2-seasonax-1-1100x620.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239769 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-2-seasonax-1-1100x620.png 1100w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-2-seasonax-1-700x394.png 700w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-2-seasonax-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-2-seasonax-1-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-2-seasonax-1.png 1278w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1100px; aspect-ratio: 1100\/620;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Highlighting the return distribution in March, including negative outliers and increased volatility in the mid-to-late part of the month. Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/seasonax.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seasonax<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>March, historically, is less about trend extension and more about consolidation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-bigger-picture-q2-seasonality-turns-positive\"><strong>The Bigger Picture: Q2 Seasonality Turns Positive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Importantly, this March softness sits within a much stronger seasonal backdrop immediately ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The chart below shows that the dynamic changes from 1 April to 30 June where, over the last 15 years, the S&amp;P 500 has delivered the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Average return: +3.26%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Annualized return: +13.87%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Winning percentage: 80%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"625\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-3-seasonax-1-1100x625.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239768 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-3-seasonax-1-1100x625.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-3-seasonax-1-700x398.jpg 700w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-3-seasonax-1-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-3-seasonax-1-768x436.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/sp500-seasonal-analysis-3-seasonax-1.jpg 1280w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1100px; aspect-ratio: 1100\/625;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The April to June seasonal chart shows a clear shift toward stronger and more consistent returns following March consolidation. Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/seasonax.com\/\">Seasonax<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, the cumulative Q2 profit curve rises steadily for Q2, reflecting a consistent seasonal tailwind into late spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>March = hesitation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Q2 = re-acceleration This transition from consolidation into expansion is one of the cleaner seasonal rotations in US equities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-this-pattern-makes-sense-structurally\"><strong>Why This Pattern Makes Sense Structurally<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Several macro factors reinforce the seasonal setup:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Earnings season strength \u2013 April kicks off Q1 earnings, which historically provides directional catalysts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Institutional reallocation \u2013 Pension and asset managers rebalance at quarter-end, often deploying capital early in Q2.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Post-tax season liquidity normalisation \u2013 US tax deadlines mid-April can temporarily suppress flows in March before releasing liquidity into Q2.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These factors can help explain why March often feels volatile and directionless, while April tends to regain momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tactical-takeaway\"><strong>Tactical Takeaway<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>March should not necessarily be viewed as bearish, but seasonality shows it has historically been less reliable for upside extension compared with Q2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traders may consider the potential for the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expecting volatility spikes rather than smooth continuation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Being patient for better Q2 entry setups<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Watching mid-to-late March for exhaustion patterns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If history is any guide, early-year strength does not typically accelerate in March, it pauses. However, once April begins, the seasonal odds shift decisively back in favor of the bulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use Seasonax for your professional handling of market-moving events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally Posted on March 3, 2026 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seasonax.com\/sp500-march-seasonality-volatility-q2\/\">March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&amp;P 500 equity market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1581,"featured_media":189144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,8,9,23,26,3],"tags":[],"contributors-categories":[13716],"class_list":{"0":"post-239763","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-north-america","8":"category-region","9":"category-securities","10":"category-technical-analysis","11":"category-text-articles","12":"category-traders-insight","13":"contributors-categories-seasonax"},"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&amp;P 500 equity market.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239763\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains | IBKR Campus US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&amp;P 500 equity market.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IBKR Campus US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-04T15:15:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-05T10:42:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"563\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Giles Coghlan, CMT\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Giles Coghlan, CMT\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"NewsArticle\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"Giles Coghlan, CMT\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3fa06d933d8020fac7ef4a0b14ba1d5e\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2026-03-04T15:15:37+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-03-05T10:42:29+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 703,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"North America\",\n\t                \"Region\",\n\t                \"Securities\",\n\t                \"Technical Analysis\",\n\t                \"Text Articles\",\n\t                \"Traders' Insight\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains | IBKR Campus US\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2026-03-04T15:15:37+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-03-05T10:42:29+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&P 500 equity market.\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/traders-insight\\\/securities\\\/technical-analysis\\\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg\",\n\t            \"width\": 1000,\n\t            \"height\": 563\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"IBKR Campus US\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Financial Education from Interactive Brokers\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Interactive Brokers\",\n\t            \"alternateName\": \"IBKR\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/ibkr-campus-logo.jpg\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/ibkr-campus-logo.jpg\",\n\t                \"width\": 669,\n\t                \"height\": 669,\n\t                \"caption\": \"Interactive Brokers\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/about-ibkr-campus\\\/\",\n\t            \"ethicsPolicy\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/cyber-security-notice\\\/\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/ibkrcampus.com\\\/campus\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3fa06d933d8020fac7ef4a0b14ba1d5e\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Giles Coghlan, CMT\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.interactivebrokers.com\\\/campus\\\/author\\\/giles1coghlan\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains","description":"You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&P 500 equity market.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239763\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains | IBKR Campus US","og_description":"You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&P 500 equity market.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/","og_site_name":"IBKR Campus US","article_published_time":"2026-03-04T15:15:37+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-05T10:42:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":563,"url":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Giles Coghlan, CMT","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Giles Coghlan, CMT","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/"},"author":{"name":"Giles Coghlan, CMT","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#\/schema\/person\/3fa06d933d8020fac7ef4a0b14ba1d5e"},"headline":"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains","datePublished":"2026-03-04T15:15:37+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-05T10:42:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/"},"wordCount":703,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg","articleSection":["North America","Region","Securities","Technical Analysis","Text Articles","Traders' Insight"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/","url":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/","name":"March Volatility: Why the S&amp;P 500 Often Stalls After Early Year Gains | IBKR Campus US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-04T15:15:37+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-05T10:42:29+00:00","description":"You may not be aware, but after a strong early-year performance, March often acts as a pause point for the US S&P 500 equity market.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/traders-insight\/securities\/technical-analysis\/march-volatility-why-the-sp-500-often-stalls-after-early-year-gains\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg","width":1000,"height":563},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/","name":"IBKR Campus US","description":"Financial Education from Interactive Brokers","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#organization","name":"Interactive Brokers","alternateName":"IBKR","url":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/ibkr-campus-logo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/ibkr-campus-logo.jpg","width":669,"height":669,"caption":"Interactive Brokers"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"publishingPrinciples":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/about-ibkr-campus\/","ethicsPolicy":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/cyber-security-notice\/"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/#\/schema\/person\/3fa06d933d8020fac7ef4a0b14ba1d5e","name":"Giles Coghlan, CMT","url":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/author\/giles1coghlan\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.interactivebrokers.com\/campus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/volatility-market-featured-img.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1581"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239763"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239763\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239763"},{"taxonomy":"contributors-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ibkrcampus.com\/campus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributors-categories?post=239763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}