The stock market is up nicely so far in 2019, producing the best nine-month gain for any year in a bull market that began in 2009. It is interesting that strong stock markets at the nine-month mark in 2009 and 2013 resulted in above-average fourth quarters and the best two stock years in the bull market to date. But stocks were also making all-time highs in early October last year; yet by mid-month, stocks were in freefall. Although a sharp fourth-quarter selloff could happen this year, the 2019 stock market has one thing going for it that it lacked in 2017 & 2018 – impressive breadth, with leadership equally divided between risk-on and defensive sectors. Market breadth is no guarantee against a broad-market selloff. But investors appear to be spreading their bets across sectors, which shows a willingness to stay invested amid tumultuous political and economic headlines. Indeed, broadly advancing markets are regarded as having stouter “legs” that provide balance against the buffeting forces of bearishness.