How is each sector doing?
The S&P 500 is eleven very different businesses averaged together. Seeing each sector’s return, its trend against the index and how many of its stocks are rising shows what is really driving the market.
Updated Oct 9, 2026
2 of 11 beat the S&P
2 of 11 sectors are beating the S&P 500’s +14% this year. Energy leads at +46% and communication services trails at −6%.
All eleven sectors
Sorted by the return this year. Breadth is the share of the sector’s S&P 500 stocks above their 50-day average. Select a row for its chart. Select a column to sort.
| Sector | Trend | 1W | 1M | YTD | vs S&P | 1Y | Breadth | Past year vs S&P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy XLE | 74Leading | +3.6% | +0.2% | +46% | +31 pts | +46% | 71% | |
| Technology XLK | 79Leading | −0.5% | +7.3% | +38% | +24 pts | +37% | 67% | |
| Health care XLV | 68Leading | +2.8% | +3.1% | +10% | −4 pts | +18% | 54% | |
| Industrials XLI | 2Lagging | −0.4% | −0.8% | +9% | −5 pts | +9% | 24% | |
| Materials XLB | 23Lagging | +1.2% | −2.6% | +9% | −5 pts | +10% | 15% | |
| Consumer staples XLP | 34In line | +3.6% | +0.4% | +7% | −7 pts | +7% | 29% | |
| Real estate XLRE | 8Lagging | +2.0% | −3.3% | +3% | −11 pts | +1% | 10% | |
| Financials XLF | 13Lagging | +2.3% | −3.8% | 0% | −14 pts | +2% | 19% | |
| Utilities XLU | 4Lagging | +4.0% | −2.6% | −3% | −17 pts | −9% | 16% | |
| Consumer discretionary XLY | 20Lagging | +2.6% | +0.8% | −5% | −20 pts | −5% | 25% | |
| Communication services XLC | 29Lagging | +0.1% | −1.0% | −6% | −20 pts | −4% | 13% |
How to read this page
How it’s measured. The eleven Select Sector SPDR funds, one per sector, measured against the S&P 500. Trend scores compare each sector’s three-month lead with its own last five years; breadth counts its S&P 500 members above their 50-day average.
Sources. Daily prices from Financial Modeling Prep.
Sector funds weight companies by size, so a few giants, such as Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia in technology, dominate their sector’s return.
Returns are price changes. Sector leadership describes where returns have come from; in our research, it has not been a reliable guide to what comes next.
This page is information, not investment advice. About our data and methods ›