MS

Morgan Stanley Seasonal Stock Pattern
$213.93 +0.98%

32 years of seasonal data. AI scored daily.

Best Month Oct +5.6% 78% win rate
Worst Month Sep -3.3% 47% win rate
AI Bias LONG 95.2 84.5% win prob
History 32 yrs Updated daily

Morgan Stanley (MS) has historically averaged +5.6% in Oct with a 78% win rate over 32 years of data, making Oct the best month to buy MS stock. Sep is the weakest month, averaging -3.3%. TradeWave's AI currently assigns MS a long seasonal bias with a score of 95.2 and 84.5% win probability, based on 32 years of comparable seasonal windows.

Next 30 Days for MS: Seasonal Outlook

Over the last 32 years, buying MS on this calendar date (2026-07-04) and holding through 2026-08-03 produced +2.54% on average, with 20 winning years and 12 losing years. TradeWave's AI derives a LONG bias for this setup.

Midterm (Year 2) only (8 samples)
MS has averaged +4.20% in this 30-day window during midterm years (5 up, 3 down).
That's +1.66 pts vs the all-years average of +2.54%. 2026 is a midterm year.
AI Score: 95.2 LONG bias 84.5% Model Win Prob +4.33% Predicted +9.07% Peak

Best historical year in this window: 2010 (+19.9%). Worst: 2007 (-16.6%). This synthetic 30-day setup is re-scored daily.

See MS in TradeWave →

Monthly Seasonality for MS

Average monthly return from 1994 to 2026. Green bars are positive months, red bars are negative. The highlighted bar is MS's historically strongest month.

+5.6% 0% -5.6% +4.0% Jan -2.1% Feb +0.1% Mar +2.5% Apr +0.7% May +0.6% Jun +2.5% Jul -1.1% Aug -3.3% Sep +5.6% Oct +2.7% Nov +4.2% Dec

Based on 32 years of data (1994 to 2026). Best month is Oct, highlighted in gold.

MS Monthly Performance Stats

All 12 months, based on 32 years of historical price data.

Month Avg Return Win Rate Best Year Worst Year
Jan +4.01% 64% +20.7% -17.3%
Feb -2.11% 39% +13.6% -27.5%
Mar +0.05% 46% +26.9% -26.9%
Apr +2.49% 61% +25.8% -15.8%
May +0.69% 54% +18.5% -23.6%
Jun +0.63% 42% +15.8% -16.3%
Jul +2.55% 69% +17.1% -11.7%
Aug -1.14% 44% +18.3% -31.6%
Sep (worst) -3.27% 47% +12.5% -44.3%
Oct (best) +5.61% 78% +63.2% -27.6%
Nov +2.66% 62% +25.2% -19.8%
Dec +4.20% 66% +41.3% -12.7%

MS: 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 (1994, 1998, 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 +4.01% +1.15% -2.86 pts 8 yr
Feb -2.11% -1.37% +0.74 pts 8 yr
Mar +0.05% +2.50% +2.45 pts 8 yr
Apr +2.49% +0.80% -1.69 pts 8 yr
May +0.69% -2.20% -2.89 pts 8 yr
Jun +0.63% -1.34% -1.97 pts 8 yr
Jul +2.55% +4.86% +2.31 pts 8 yr
Aug -1.14% -2.80% -1.66 pts 8 yr
Sep -3.27% -7.30% -4.03 pts 8 yr
Oct +5.61% +10.88% +5.27 pts 8 yr
Nov +2.66% +3.03% +0.37 pts 8 yr
Dec +4.20% -0.51% -4.71 pts 8 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 MS has shown the strongest historical consistency.

26 Active patterns right now
33d Window length (top pattern)
85% AI win probability

TradeWave has identified 26 precise windows active for MS 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.

MS in Midterm (Year 2)

2026 is classified as midterm (year 2) in the 4 year presidential cycle. Historically, MS has averaged +8.3% returns in this cycle phase.

Post-Election
+29.3%
Midterm
+8.3%
Pre-Election
+14.1%
Election
+13.4%

Key Dates for MS

Next Earnings
2026-07-15
11 days away
Best Month to Buy
Oct
Avg +5.61%, 78% win rate
Worst Month
Sep
Avg -3.27%

MS Seasonal Pattern FAQ

Is MS a good stock to buy right now?

Over the last 32 years, MS has averaged +2.54% in the 30 days after 2026-07-04, winning 20 of 32 completed years. TradeWave's AI derives a LONG bias for this setup with an AI Score of 95.2 and 84.5% model win probability. This is seasonal pattern analysis, not a buy recommendation.

What is the best month to buy Morgan Stanley stock?

Based on 32 years of historical data, Oct is the best month to buy Morgan Stanley (MS) stock, with an average return of +5.6% and a 78% win rate.

What is the worst month for MS stock?

Sep is historically the worst month for Morgan Stanley (MS) stock, with an average return of -3.3% and a 47% win rate over 32 years of data.

Should I buy or sell MS stock?

TradeWave's AI seasonal analysis currently shows a long bias for MS over the next 30 days, with an AI score of 95.2. This is based on how MS has historically performed during this same calendar window across 32 prior years. Seasonal patterns are one factor among many and should not be used as the sole basis for trading decisions.

Does Morgan Stanley follow seasonal patterns?

Yes. Morgan Stanley (MS) shows measurable seasonal tendencies across 32 years of historical data. The strongest month is Oct (+5.6% average return, 78% win rate) and the weakest is Sep (-3.3% 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 MS's stock forecast for 2026?

For the current seasonal window, TradeWave's AI projects a long bias for MS with +2.5% 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 MS follow election cycle patterns?

Yes, the cycle phase changes the picture for MS. Across all years, MS's strongest month is Oct (+5.6% avg). Looking only at prior midterm (year 2) years (8 samples: 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), the biggest divergence is Dec, which averages -0.5% in this cycle phase versus +4.2% across all years (a -4.7 point shift). The strongest cycle-phase tailwind is Oct at +10.9% versus +5.6% all-years. 2026 is a midterm (year 2) year, so the cycle-filtered numbers are the more relevant guide right now.

How has MS performed historically by month?

Over 32 years of data, Morgan Stanley (MS) shows distinct monthly patterns. The best month is Oct (+5.6% avg, 78% win rate) and the worst is Sep (-3.3% avg, 47% 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 MS

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Related Seasonal Patterns

Compare MS's seasonal trends with similar stocks. Morgan Stanley's best month is Oct (+5.6% 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