Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF)
Top ETFs · US Financial Sector · data since 1998-12-22 · last close 2026-09-09
Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -2.4 | -3.8 | -3.5 | 5.6 | -1.1 | 4.3 | 6.2 | 1.4 | -1.1 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | 6.5 | 1.4 | -4.2 | -2.1 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 0.1 | -2.8 | 1.8 | 3.1 |
| 2024 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | -4.2 | 3.2 | -0.9 | 6.4 | 4.6 | -0.6 | 2.6 | 10.5 | -5.5 |
| 2023 | 6.9 | -2.3 | -9.6 | 3.2 | -4.3 | 6.6 | 4.8 | -2.7 | -3.1 | -2.4 | 10.9 | 5.3 |
| 2022 | 0.0 | -1.4 | -0.1 | -9.9 | 2.8 | -10.9 | 7.2 | -2.0 | -7.7 | 11.9 | 6.9 | -5.2 |
| 2021 | -1.8 | 11.6 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 4.8 | -3.0 | -0.5 | 5.2 | -1.8 | 7.3 | -5.7 | 3.4 |
| 2020 | -2.7 | -11.3 | -21.0 | 9.5 | 2.7 | -0.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 | -3.4 | -0.9 | 16.9 | 6.3 |
| 2019 | 8.9 | 2.2 | -2.6 | 9.0 | -7.2 | 6.7 | 2.4 | -4.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 2.6 |
| 2018 | 6.6 | -2.9 | -4.2 | -0.4 | -1.0 | -1.8 | 5.1 | 1.4 | -2.2 | -4.7 | 2.6 | -11.1 |
| 2017 | 0.3 | 5.3 | -3.0 | -0.8 | -1.2 | 6.5 | 1.7 | -1.6 | 5.1 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 1.9 |
| 2016 | -8.8 | -2.9 | 7.2 | 3.6 | 1.9 | -3.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 | -2.8 | 2.3 | 14.0 | 3.8 |
| 2015 | -7.0 | 5.8 | -0.6 | 0.1 | 1.9 | -0.5 | 3.4 | -7.1 | -2.8 | 6.3 | 2.0 | -2.4 |
| 2014 | -3.7 | 3.0 | 3.3 | -1.7 | 1.5 | 2.4 | -1.4 | 4.2 | -0.4 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
| 2013 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 6.1 | -1.6 | 5.3 | -5.1 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| 2012 | 8.2 | 5.0 | 7.4 | -2.3 | -9.2 | 5.0 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.0 | -0.9 | 4.7 |
| 2011 | 2.8 | 2.7 | -2.5 | -0.1 | -3.3 | -2.8 | -3.6 | -9.6 | -11.4 | 14.3 | -5.1 | 2.1 |
| 2010 | -1.5 | 3.5 | 8.9 | 1.3 | -9.2 | -5.7 | 6.5 | -7.8 | 6.1 | 1.5 | -0.7 | 10.7 |
| 2009 | -26.2 | -17.8 | 17.1 | 21.8 | 14.0 | -1.8 | 8.9 | 13.0 | 1.9 | -6.0 | 4.3 | -1.4 |
| 2008 | 0.7 | -11.4 | -2.9 | 7.0 | -7.0 | -17.4 | 6.8 | -1.0 | -6.3 | -21.9 | -18.5 | 0.4 |
| 2007 | 0.9 | -3.0 | -0.5 | 3.9 | 2.4 | -4.0 | -9.1 | 2.6 | 2.4 | -1.7 | -8.1 | -5.8 |
| 2006 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 4.3 | -3.8 | -0.5 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 3.8 |
| 2005 | -2.2 | -0.7 | -3.8 | 0.2 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | -1.6 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | 3.3 | 2.9 | -1.2 | -4.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | -2.1 | 3.3 | -0.9 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 4.1 |
| 2003 | -1.3 | -3.1 | -0.9 | 12.6 | 5.1 | 0.4 | 4.4 | -1.2 | 0.9 | 6.9 | -0.4 | 4.5 |
| 2002 | -1.1 | -1.7 | 6.6 | -2.5 | -0.3 | -4.3 | -8.3 | 1.9 | -11.5 | 9.1 | 3.7 | -5.4 |
| 2001 | -0.2 | -6.7 | -3.0 | 3.6 | 4.4 | -0.7 | -0.9 | -6.6 | -5.6 | -1.4 | 6.5 | 1.9 |
| 2000 | -3.0 | -10.7 | 18.3 | 1.0 | 2.2 | -4.8 | 8.8 | 10.2 | 2.2 | -0.9 | -5.1 | 8.5 |
| 1999 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 7.0 | -6.0 | 4.3 | -6.1 | -4.4 | -5.2 | 15.5 | -4.4 | -2.4 |
| 1998 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 0.5 |
| Avg | -0.2 | -1.0 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 0.3 | -0.8 | 2.0 | 0.3 | -1.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
XLF seasonality — average by calendar month
Financial Select Sector SPDR has monthly history back to 1998. Its strongest month by median is July — positive in 19 of 28 years, median +2.9%, and higher in 7 of the last 9. June is the soft spot, down in 17 of 28 with a median of -0.6%. Across its full record it has closed 56% of months higher, swings ±6% in an average month and has fallen 82.7% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | -0.2% | -1.0% | +0.8% | +2.6% | +0.3% | -0.8% | +2.0% | +0.3% | -1.2% | +2.0% | +2.0% | +1.2% |
| Win rate | 54%/28 | 50%/28 | 43%/28 | 64%/28 | 57%/28 | 39%/28 | 68%/28 | 54%/28 | 44%/27 | 67%/27 | 67%/27 | 71%/28 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
XLF risk & extremes
XLF drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Financial Select Sector SPDR's best month?+
Financial Select Sector SPDR's strongest completed month on record is April 2009, at +21.79%.
What was Financial Select Sector SPDR's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is January 2009, at -26.20%.
Is Financial Select Sector SPDR up this year?+
Financial Select Sector SPDR is up 5.08% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is Financial Select Sector SPDR's 1-year return?+
+8.63% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is Financial Select Sector SPDR's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 82.7%, measured on month-end closes since 1998.
Which calendar month is historically best for Financial Select Sector SPDR?+
April has the highest average return across every completed April since 1998. An average is not a forecast.
About Financial Select Sector SPDR
Financial Select Sector SPDR is an us financial sector business worth about $55 billion. It has survived more market cycles than most coins have months — with price receipts on this site going back to 1998. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1998) would be about $516 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was April 2009 at +21.79%; its worst, January 2009 at -26.2%.
- It has closed December in the green 20 out of 28 times — calendar astrology, but the fun kind.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.