Chart of the Week Archive

Biotech Stays on Sidelines

While the broader market has made respectable gains in 2009, Biotech stocks have stayed on the sidelines.

The SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) is up 21% on the year while the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) is actually down over 5% in 2009.

The uncertainty created by the long debate over remaking the country's health care industry has played a key role in the poor

Google Stays Ahead of Pack

As year end approaches, Google continues to outperform the broader market.

Google (GOOG) is up over 80% year to date compared to a 21% gain for the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY).  Despite concerns that the economic downturn and lower advertising spending would cause Google to stumble, the company has continued to deliver high single digit revenue growth and double digit earnings growth.

As the global economy begins to show

Coal Miners March Higher

Global coal miner stocks have more than tripled since March, outperforming the broader market by a wide margin.

Van Eck Global's Market Vectors Coal ETF (KOL) recently topped $34, up from $16 at the beginning of 2009 and $11 at the bottom of the March lows.

The New Rush for Gold

Investor interest in gold has lead the price of the precious metal and related ETFs to new highs.

The largest gold ETF, SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), is up 35% on the year with the latest up-leg beginning in mid-August.  GLD holdings now stand at 1,114 metric tons, the highest level since early July.

Gold's strength is mainly a result of a volatile and weakening dollar.  Some investment managers also point to concerns about the strength of other major

Ford Accelerates to Profitability

Telecom gets disconnected

Telecom stocks have failed to keep pace with the overall market in the second half of 2009.

Since June 30, the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Telecom Sector Index Fund (IYZ) is only up 3% compared to an 18% gain for the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY).

The $500 million telecom ETF counts a variety of U.S.

All eyes on Apple

Tech investors anxiously await Apple's quarterly earnings as a sign of whether technology stocks will continue to outperform the broader market.

Apple (AAPL) has more than doubled in 2009, far outpacing the 24% gain for the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY).  With a $169 billion market cap, Apple is one of the largest companies in a technology sector that has lead this year's recovery in equities.

Strong sales of iPods, iPhones and computers as

Brazil Breaks Away

Brazilian equities have nearly doubled this year, far outpacing the U.S.

Monsanto Leads Materials Sector Lower

Agri-giant Monsanto's stock price has lead materials stocks to underperform the broader market.

Caterpillar's Momentum Machine

Caterpillar's stock price had an amazing run in Q3, leading industrial ETFs past the rest of the market.

Caterprillar (CAT) is up 70% since July 10 compared to a 19% return for the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) in the same period.

CAT started outpacing the market in mid-July even as the company was reporting a Q2 sales decline of 41% from the prior year.  The catalyst for the stock's upward trajectory was an improved 2009 outlook.