August was brutal in the markets. Imagine getting a call from your Mom, "So, you still think this is a correction?" (Put plenty of disbelief into the word "correction".)

Yet all the major major stock market indicies ended the month higher.. The stock market total return figures below are August, past three months, and year-to-date, respectively.

S&P 500 1.50 -3.28 5.20

DOW JONES INDUSTRIALS 1.40 -1.44 8.80

NASDAQ COMPOSITE 1.97 -0.31 7.50

S&P REIT INDEX 5.83 -11.28 -7.91

RUSSELL 1000 INDEX 1.36 -3.65 5.29

RUSSELL 2000 INDEX 2.26 -6.13 1.39

RUSSELL 3000 INDEX 1.44 -3.86 4.95

Data: Aronson+Johnson+Ortiz