IWM

Russell 2000 Ishares ETF Seasonal Stock Pattern
$297.58 -0.58%

25 years of seasonal data. AI scored daily.

Best Month Nov +3.3% 80% win rate
Worst Month Sep -1.1% 52% win rate
AI Bias SHORT 94.3 81.9% win prob
History 25 yrs Updated daily

Russell 2000 Ishares ETF (IWM) has historically averaged +3.3% in Nov with a 80% win rate over 25 years of data, making Nov the best month to buy IWM stock. Sep is the weakest month, averaging -1.1%. TradeWave's AI currently assigns IWM a short seasonal bias with a score of 94.3 and 81.9% win probability, based on 25 years of comparable seasonal windows.

Next 30 Days for IWM: Seasonal Outlook

Over the last 25 years, buying IWM on this calendar date (2026-07-04) and holding through 2026-08-03 produced +0.57% on average, with 11 winning years and 14 losing years. TradeWave's AI derives a SHORT bias for this setup.

Midterm (Year 2) only (6 samples)
IWM has averaged -0.30% in this 30-day window during midterm years (2 up, 4 down).
That's -0.87 pts vs the all-years average of +0.57%. 2026 is a midterm year.
AI Score: 94.3 SHORT bias 81.9% Model Win Prob +3.35% Predicted +8.07% Peak

Best historical year in this window: 2009 (+14.3%). Worst: 2002 (-14.7%). This synthetic 30-day setup is re-scored daily.

See IWM in TradeWave →

Monthly Seasonality for IWM

Average monthly return from 2001 to 2026. Green bars are positive months, red bars are negative. The highlighted bar is IWM's historically strongest month.

+3.3% 0% -3.3% +0.1% Jan -0.7% Feb -0.0% Mar +1.7% Apr +1.1% May +0.8% Jun +0.8% Jul +0.2% Aug -1.1% Sep +1.1% Oct +3.3% Nov +1.6% Dec

Based on 25 years of data (2001 to 2026). Best month is Nov, highlighted in gold.

IWM Monthly Performance Stats

All 12 months, based on 25 years of historical price data.

Month Avg Return Win Rate Best Year Worst Year
Jan +0.12% 46% +10.7% -11.4%
Feb -0.65% 50% +8.2% -12.7%
Mar -0.02% 58% +14.2% -23.9%
Apr +1.73% 65% +22.2% -10.9%
May +1.13% 62% +11.0% -9.6%
Jun +0.76% 58% +8.3% -7.8%
Jul +0.85% 60% +11.3% -11.5%
Aug +0.24% 56% +9.4% -9.0%
Sep (worst) -1.09% 52% +8.2% -13.8%
Oct +1.12% 60% +21.4% -19.8%
Nov (best) +3.30% 80% +16.2% -12.0%
Dec +1.57% 76% +18.1% -12.8%

IWM: All Years vs Midterm (Year 2) Only

2026 is a midterm (year 2) year in the 4 year presidential cycle. The same monthly seasonality recomputed using only prior midterm (year 2) years (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) often tells a very different story. Months where the cycle phase diverges most from the long-run average are where seasonal edges either compound or evaporate.

Month All Years Avg Midterm (Year 2) Avg Difference Sample (Phase)
Jan +0.12% -1.86% -1.98 pts 6 yr
Feb -0.65% +0.66% +1.31 pts 6 yr
Mar -0.02% +3.02% +3.04 pts 6 yr
Apr +1.73% -0.91% -2.64 pts 6 yr
May +1.13% -2.31% -3.44 pts 6 yr
Jun +0.76% -2.07% -2.83 pts 6 yr
Jul +0.85% -0.82% -1.67 pts 6 yr
Aug +0.24% +0.70% +0.46 pts 6 yr
Sep -1.09% -2.23% -1.14 pts 6 yr
Oct +1.12% +3.00% +1.88 pts 6 yr
Nov +3.30% +2.77% -0.53 pts 6 yr
Dec +1.57% -2.44% -4.01 pts 6 yr

Highlighted rows show months where midterm (year 2) years diverge by more than 3 percentage points from the long-run average. Sample sizes are small by design. Each cycle phase contains roughly one year in four of historical data.

Beyond Monthly Averages: Precision Seasonal Windows

Monthly averages show you the general direction. TradeWave goes further, scanning up to 98 years of daily price data to detect specific recurring date-range windows where IWM has shown the strongest historical consistency.

21 Active patterns right now
73d Window length (top pattern)
82% AI win probability

TradeWave has identified 21 precise windows active for IWM right now, each with specific entry and exit dates and an AI-scored probability. These aren't broad monthly trends. They're exact date ranges backed by decades of historical data.

IWM in Midterm (Year 2)

2026 is classified as midterm (year 2) in the 4 year presidential cycle. Historically, IWM has averaged +0.4% returns in this cycle phase.

Post-Election
+13.7%
Midterm
+0.4%
Pre-Election
+11.8%
Election
+9.9%

Key Dates for IWM

Earnings
N/A
ETFs don't report earnings
Best Month to Buy
Nov
Avg +3.30%, 80% win rate
Worst Month
Sep
Avg -1.09%

IWM Seasonal Pattern FAQ

Is IWM a good stock to buy right now?

Over the last 25 years, IWM has averaged +0.57% in the 30 days after 2026-07-04, winning 11 of 25 completed years. TradeWave's AI derives a SHORT bias for this setup with an AI Score of 94.3 and 81.9% model win probability. This is seasonal pattern analysis, not a buy recommendation.

What is the best month to buy Russell 2000 Ishares ETF stock?

Based on 25 years of historical data, Nov is the best month to buy Russell 2000 Ishares ETF (IWM) stock, with an average return of +3.3% and a 80% win rate.

What is the worst month for IWM stock?

Sep is historically the worst month for Russell 2000 Ishares ETF (IWM) stock, with an average return of -1.1% and a 52% win rate over 25 years of data.

Should I buy or sell IWM stock?

TradeWave's AI seasonal analysis currently shows a short bias for IWM over the next 30 days, with an AI score of 94.3. This is based on how IWM has historically performed during this same calendar window across 25 prior years. Seasonal patterns are one factor among many and should not be used as the sole basis for trading decisions.

Does Russell 2000 Ishares ETF follow seasonal patterns?

Yes. Russell 2000 Ishares ETF (IWM) shows measurable seasonal tendencies across 25 years of historical data. The strongest month is Nov (+3.3% average return, 80% win rate) and the weakest is Sep (-1.1% average). These patterns are driven by factors like earnings cycles, tax-loss harvesting, fund rebalancing, and investor sentiment shifts. TradeWave's AI scores these patterns daily and identifies the highest-probability seasonal windows.

What is IWM's stock forecast for 2026?

For the current seasonal window, TradeWave's AI projects a short bias for IWM with +0.6% average historical return over the next 30 days. 2026 is a midterm (year 2) year in the presidential election cycle, which can amplify or dampen seasonal effects. See the election cycle section above for 2026-specific analysis.

Does IWM follow election cycle patterns?

Yes, the cycle phase changes the picture for IWM. Across all years, IWM's strongest month is Nov (+3.3% avg). Looking only at prior midterm (year 2) years (6 samples: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), the biggest divergence is Dec, which averages -2.4% in this cycle phase versus +1.6% across all years (a -4.0 point shift). The strongest cycle-phase tailwind is Mar at +3.0% versus -0.0% all-years. 2026 is a midterm (year 2) year, so the cycle-filtered numbers are the more relevant guide right now.

How has IWM performed historically by month?

Over 25 years of data, Russell 2000 Ishares ETF (IWM) shows distinct monthly patterns. The best month is Nov (+3.3% avg, 80% win rate) and the worst is Sep (-1.1% avg, 52% win rate). The full monthly breakdown with win rates, best and worst individual years, and election-cycle filters is shown in the tables above.

See the full seasonal analysis for IWM

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Related Seasonal Patterns

Compare IWM's seasonal trends with similar stocks. Russell 2000 Ishares ETF's best month is Nov (+3.3% avg). See how these related tickers compare.

View all 100 seasonal patterns →

Seasonal analysis, not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Last updated 2026-07-04