If you regularly invest in the stock market, you've probably come across the phrase "sell in May and go away." The adage came about when investors realized the six-month period between May and October often delivers weaker returns than the six-month period from November to April.

Seasonality is one of the most likely causes of the disparity. There is often less trading activity in the warmer spring and summer months, because Wall Street bankers and fund managers are away on vacation like everybody else.

According to the Corporate Finance Institute, the S 500 index has delivered an average return of 2% during the May-to-October period each year since 1945, compared to a 6.7% gain from November to April. That's a substantial difference, so with May just a couple of weeks away, should you sell your stocks?

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Source Fool.com