ICP and general mkts should help AAA rise " In the first three months of 2012, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 8.1%, the S&P rose 12% and the Nasdaq advanced 19%.
It was the biggest first-quarter gain for the Dow and S&P 500 since 1998, while the Nasdaq logged its best first quarter since 1991.
If history is any guide, April will be another strong month.
The S&P 500 has risen every April for the past five years, according to Schaeffer's Investment Research. The index has returned an average of 4.5% in April over the same period, making it the best month for the market by far.
Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research, expects stocks to continue moving higher on improving economic data in the United States.
"We continue to think the overall economic backdrop is steadily improving when you look at the jobs, manufacturing and consumer confidence data," said Detrick.
The gains in the first quarter were driven by improving economic data in the United States and easing concerns about the debt crisis in Europe. Stocks have also been boosted by expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to support the economy, even as the outlook improves. "