Prediction: If a September Sell-Off Hits Speculative AI Stocks, Quantum Computing Falls First

Historically, September has been on average the worst month of the year for stocks, with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) declining by an average of 1.16% in September from 1926 through 2024. But historical trends do not mean that stocks will necessarily fall in September 2026.

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However, several events could make markets volatile, including the August jobs report coming out on Sept. 4 and the U.S. Federal Reserve's next meeting on Sept. 15 and 16. High inflation, massive and rising government debt, and elevated geopolitical tensions have also increased uncertainty in the stock market. If any of these factors help trigger another sell-off in speculative technology stocks, quantum computing stocks could be among the hardest hit.

When tech stocks sell off, quantum computing stocks sell off harder

A review of daily stock price data shows that through Aug. 28, there were 23 trading days in 2026 when the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ) fell at least 1.5%. QQQ, an exchange-traded fund that tracks the Nasdaq-100, declined by an average of about 2% on those days.