September was a rough month in the stock market, as the S 500 fell 4.9%. But investors can gain an advantage by understanding the forces that drove certain stocks higher or lower. You can prepare yourself for upcoming market trends by digging deeper beyond the headlines. It's always a good idea to review key trends to ensure that your portfolio allocation is aligned with long-term goals and short-term drivers. These four stocks had major moves last month that illustrate some of the important forces that are influencing the market right now.

(NYSE: TGT) shares slumped by 12.6% in September thanks to a number of gloomy macroeconomic indicators and headlines. The monthly retail sales data showed weakness in consumer goods, especially automobiles and other durables. Transaction data released by payment processors also suggested a pullback in household spending.

That all coincided with an unexpected slowdown in new housing starts, which is a strongly negative indicator of consumer confidence. It's taken a long time, but high interest rates are finally translating to clear signs of consumer strain. Consumer budgets are tightening as a softening job market is combining with inflation, expensive borrowing costs, and higher lending standards.

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Source Fool.com