View from the Observation Deck

1. One of the most common questions we field on an ongoing basis is the following: What is your favorite sector?
2. Sometimes the answer is more evident, in our opinion, than at other times.
3. For example, you didn't need a crystal ball to tout Information Technology in 1998 and 1999 (top performing S&P 500 sector both years) or Energy from 2004-2007 (top performer in 2004, 2005 & 2007), according to S&P.  
4. From 2008-2012, however, no S&P 500 sector was able to repeat as top performer.
5. Here were those results: 2008 (Consumer Staples); 2009 (Information Technology); 2010 (Consumer Discretionary); 2011 (Utilities); and 2012 (Financials), according to S&P.
6. In case anyone is interested, Financials are making a charge at being a repeat top performer in 2013. Financials are neck and neck with Health Care for the #1 ranking year-to-date through June 3, 2013.

This chart is for illustrative purposes only and not indicative of any actual investment. The illustration excludes the effects of taxes and brokerage commissions or other expenses incurred when investing. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The S&P 500 is a capitalization-weighted index comprised of 500 stocks used to measure large-cap U.S. stock market performance. The respective S&P 500 Sector Indices are capitalization-weighted and comprised of S&P 500 constituents representing a specific sector.

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