Historically, May through October is a weaker period for markets, averaging gains of around 2% compared to roughly 7% from November through April. However, May got off to a strong start as the S&P 500 (S&P) and Nasdaq Composite (Nasdaq) both reached record highs in the opening week. While the rest of the month wasn’t a straight shot higher, the rally continued. The S&P broke above 7,500 for the first time, the tech-heavy Nasdaq crossed both the 25,000 and 26,000 milestones, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) climbed above 50,000 before ending May with its first-ever close above 51,000.