The New York Stock Exchange has recorded zero trading days with at least 80% of volume on declining stocks between the start of the year and August 17, 2026, a first since tracking began in 1996. Historically, this metric averages 21 such days per year, with a minimum of five recorded annually. The last peak in downside volume occurred in October 2025, over ten months ago. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has risen approximately 16% year-to-date and the VIX has dropped to 14.2. Strategists warn, however, that 2026 is a midterm election year, a period historically associated with seasonal weakness between mid-August and mid-October.
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