The takeaway
iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF shows a moderate seasonal pattern over 10 years of data — strongest in December (+2.6%) and softest in June (−0.6%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 50% of years, averaging +1.8% — essentially in line with the S&P 500.
The full picture
iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF's most dependable month has been December, higher in 9 of 10 years; June has been its least reliable, up just 30% of the time.
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Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in December (+1.6 pts); it has trailed the market most in October (−2.3 pts).
“vs S&P” is iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 5 years, December has closed higher 100% of the time versus 90% across the last 10 years — the pattern is holding.
Figures are the typical (median) December return and how often it rose — the last 5 years versus the last 10(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 10-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
Strip the year back and a single month does the heavy lifting: December, up in 9 of 10 Decembers while the other eleven tend to blur together.
Its average (+2.6%) and median (+2.2%) land within a hair of each other — the tell of steady, year-after-year gains rather than one outlier doing the work. It is also the calendar's calmest month, its returns swinging least from year to year (a 2.3% spread), and even its worst December in 10 years lost only 1.2% — the gentlest downside anywhere on its calendar. Crucially, the gain is the fund's own rather than a rising tide's: December has cleared the S&P 500 by +1.6 points above the index. That consistency sets it apart from the field, where the average stock manages December only about 58% of the time.
A few other months pull their weight: January, March, and April have also closed higher more often than not. On the other side of the ledger, June has been the soft spot — the weakest of 5 months that average a loss (−0.6%), and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in October, May, and November.
December has now closed higher 7 years running. Reassuringly, the tendency has held its shape: the recent five years still track the years behind them.
The takeaway is less about when to buy than what to expect: December aside, the fund's months offer little reliable tilt.
Short answers on the fund's best month (December), its worst (June), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Yes, to a moderate degree. Since 2016 its best month (December, +2.6%) has run well ahead of its worst (June, −0.6%) — the heatmap above shows how steady that gap has been year to year.
December has been the strongest, averaging +2.6% and closing higher in 9 of 10 years since 2016.
It's the weakest, averaging −0.6% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
Before you trade