The takeaway
First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF shows a slight seasonal lean over 10 years of data — strongest in November (+2.1%) and softest in September (−0.5%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 70% of years, averaging +1.8% — essentially in line with the S&P 500.
The full picture
First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF's most dependable month has been November, higher in 8 of 10 years; September has been its least reliable, up just 50% of the time.
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Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in January (+1.4 pts); it has trailed the market most in April (−1.7 pts).
“vs S&P” is First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 5 years, November has closed higher 80% of the time versus 80% across the last 10 years — the pattern is holding.
Figures are the typical (median) November 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
This is a fund you can almost set a calendar by, and November is the anchor — it has closed higher in 8 of 10 Novembers, the steadiest beat on its year.
The strength looks broad-based rather than freakish: its average (+2.1%) and median (+2.1%) sit close together, so no single blow-out year is flattering the figure. Set against the S&P 500, mind, November is close to a wash — the gain mirrors the market more than it beats it. Few peers keep such company in November — the typical stock clears it just 62% of the time.
November anchors a run, too: the October-through-January window has been the fund's reliable season. On the other side of the ledger, September is the year's quietest corner, essentially flat on average, and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in April, March, and December.
Reassuringly, the tendency has held its shape: the recent five years still track the years behind them.
For a fund this dependable in November, the sharper question is the rest of the year — outside its strong stretch, the calendar gives far less to lean on.
Short answers on the fund's best month (November), its worst (September), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Only mildly. The fund's months are fairly even — November is the firmest (+2.1%) and September the softest (−0.5%), a narrow spread that points to weak seasonality rather than a strong calendar effect.
November has been the strongest, averaging +2.1% and closing higher in 8 of 10 years since 2016.
It's the weakest, averaging −0.5% — 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.
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