From Equity Research
Equities took a breather in September following a strong August as uncertainties around the upcoming election combined with ongoing concerns linked to the pandemic weighed on markets. The VIX Index, or “fear gauge,” was volatile through the month ending the period around where it began in the mid-25 range. For the full month, all three major equity indexes declined with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 2.3%, the S&P 500® index down 3.9%, and the smaller cap weighted Russell 2000® down 3.5%.