September in markets is a bit like a Monday morning; no one looks forward to it, and it usually lives up to its reputation.

August gave investors plenty to cheer about, but history says September tends to be the worst month of the year for stocks.

The S&P 500 hit a fresh record high at the end of August , topping 6,500, while the Dow Jones also touched new peaks. Across the Atlantic, the Stoxx Europe 600 logged its first two-month winning streak since February. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon

S&P 500 in August

But the specter of September looms large. Traditionally, the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite all post their worst month of the year in September, according to Dow Jones data .

From a sector perspective, it's a mixed picture, particularly

See Full Page