Stock sector performance
U.S. Sector & Industry Performance Dashboard — August 24, 2026
Executive Summary
The latest breadth data shows a strong medium- and long-term bull market underneath a very uneven short-term rotation. The major U.S. indexes remain firmly positive on a 3-month, 52-week and YTD basis, but the leadership has shifted decisively toward materials, mining, energy, biotechnology/pharma, selected financials and defensive consumer groups.
The most important signal is that commodity-linked industries are dominating the leadership table, while technology, semiconductors, industrial equipment and several economically sensitive groups have experienced significant short-term profit-taking.
Key Takeaways
- 🟢 Materials are the strongest broad sector: Basic Materials +24.56% YTD and +26.72% over 52 weeks.
- 🟢 Mining is exceptionally strong: +11.73% over 5D, +42.43% over 1M and +82.41% over 52W.
- 🟢 Gold miners are in major momentum: +12.29% over 5D, +42.55% over 1M and +89.16% over 52W.
- 🟢 Nonferrous metals are another major leadership pocket: +13.78% over 5D and +79.76% over 52W.
- 🟢 Oil & gas remains structurally strong: Oil & Gas Producers +43.29% YTD and +45.37% over 52W.
- 🟢 Healthcare has accelerated: Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology +20.92% over 3M and +42.88% over 52W.
- 🔴 Semiconductors are undergoing a meaningful correction: -8.63% over 5D, -5.19% over 3M despite still being +32.13% YTD.
- 🔴 Technology hardware is under pressure: -6.37% over 5D and -3.41% over 1M, although still +30.45% YTD.
- 🔴 Utilities are weak: Multiutilities -7.90% over 1M and -5.97% over 3M.
- 🔴 Autos remain one of the weakest major groups: Automobiles -19.78% YTD.
- 🔴 Real-estate services remain severely damaged: -20.36% YTD and roughly -29% over 52 weeks.
Major Market-Cap Segments
| Segment | 5D | 1M | 3M | 52W | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | -1.09% | +3.57% | +1.68% | +18.53% | +10.55% |
| Mid Cap | -1.10% | +2.59% | +6.66% | +15.66% | +15.66% |
| Small Cap | -2.63% | +2.93% | +3.41% | +19.60% | +16.88% |
| Low Cap | -1.64% | +2.71% | +5.50% | +17.01% | +16.10% |
| Top Cap | -1.09% | +3.37% | +2.64% | +17.94% | +11.54% |
Market-Cap Interpretation
There is an interesting small-/mid-cap leadership divergence.
Small caps are down 2.63% over five days, considerably worse than large caps at -1.09%, but they remain the strongest major capitalization group YTD at +16.88%.
Mid caps show the best 3-month performance at +6.66%.
This suggests that the broader bull market has not been dependent exclusively on mega-cap technology. However, the recent pullback is hitting smaller companies harder.
Investment implication: the medium-term rotation toward broader market participation remains intact, but risk appetite has cooled in the very short term.
Top Sector-Level Winners
🥇 Basic Materials
+3.80% 5D | +8.59% 1M | +5.42% 3M | +26.72% 52W | +24.56% YTD
Basic materials are among the clearest beneficiaries of the current rotation.
The particularly impressive numbers are coming from the underlying metals groups:
- Mining: +82.41% 52W
- Nonferrous Metals: +79.76%
- Industrial Metals & Mining: +63.25%
- Gold Mining: +89.16%
- Iron & Steel: +51.23%
- Aluminum: +55.90%
This is not merely a one-industry phenomenon. There is broad participation across the metals complex.
🥇 Gold Mining
+12.29% 5D | +42.55% 1M | +24.52% 3M | +89.16% 52W | +32.61% YTD
This is one of the strongest momentum signals in the entire dataset.
Gold miners are outperforming the broader market dramatically, and the combination of:
1M +42.55% → 3M +24.52% → 52W +89.16%
indicates an exceptionally powerful trend.
The fact that the 1-month gain is substantially larger than the 3-month gain also indicates acceleration rather than simple long-term drift.
🥇 Nonferrous Metals
+13.78% 5D | +24.28% 1M | +25.50% 3M | +79.76% 52W | +53.18% YTD
This is arguably the strongest broad industrial commodity momentum signal in the table.
The group is outperforming almost every major market segment across every relevant time horizon.
Energy Leadership
Energy remains another major pillar of the market.
| Industry | 5D | 1M | 3M | 52W | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil & Gas Producers | +1.54% | +6.52% | +9.94% | +45.37% | +43.29% |
| Exploration & Production | +2.08% | +9.35% | +15.88% | +53.60% | +54.82% |
| Integrated Oil & Gas | +1.12% | +4.45% | +5.81% | +39.64% | +35.60% |
| Oil Equipment & Services | -2.24% | +3.75% | -6.07% | +54.68% | +39.99% |
| Pipelines | -0.47% | -1.27% | -1.65% | +28.67% | +28.06% |
Energy Read
The strongest area is clearly Exploration & Production, with:
+54.82% YTD and +53.60% over 52 weeks.
This is particularly notable because the sector is still gaining momentum over the past month and quarter.
The weaker performance of pipelines and oil services over the shorter periods suggests that energy leadership is becoming more selective rather than uniformly broad.
Healthcare Rotation
Healthcare has emerged as another important source of relative strength.
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
+5.98% 5D | +8.72% 1M | +20.92% 3M | +42.88% 52W | +19.86% YTD
Biotechnology
+6.44% 5D | +11.66% 1M | +26.74% 3M | +31.83% 52W | +16.55% YTD
This is especially interesting because biotech is outperforming strongly across 5D, 1M and 3M.
Healthcare therefore isn’t simply acting as a defensive sector. Parts of the sector are displaying genuine growth/momentum characteristics.
Health Care Providers are also strong:
+21.24% 52W | +17.61% YTD
Technology: Strong Long-Term Trend, Short-Term Correction
Technology remains one of the most important structural winners, but the short-term data has deteriorated.
| Group | 5D | 1M | 3M | 52W | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | -3.68% | +3.05% | -0.96% | +28.77% | +16.18% |
| Semiconductors | -8.63% | -2.72% | -5.19% | +49.56% | +32.13% |
| Technology Hardware | -6.37% | -3.41% | -3.28% | +50.10% | +30.45% |
| Computer Hardware | -1.56% | -5.88% | +1.34% | +50.34% | +25.66% |
| Software | +1.13% | +23.91% | +13.17% | -5.85% | -1.60% |
| Internet | -0.01% | +5.16% | -6.77% | +27.62% | +3.96% |
The Important Divergence
The technology complex is far from uniformly weak.
The most striking contrast is:
Software: +23.91% 1M
versus
Semiconductors: -2.72% 1M
and
Technology Hardware: -3.41% 1M.
This suggests the market is currently rotating within technology, rather than simply abandoning technology altogether.
The semiconductor decline should be interpreted in the context of its huge previous gains:
+49.56% 52W / +32.13% YTD.
That makes the current weakness look more like profit-taking/correction within a long-term uptrend than definitive trend failure—at least from this dataset alone.
Financials: Constructive but Uneven
Financials are generally positive but lack the explosive momentum seen in commodities.
Stronger Areas
- Asset Managers: +15.21% 3M
- Consumer Finance: +16.08% 3M
- Financial Services: +10.79% 3M
- Banks: +13.35% 3M
- Insurance: +11.94% 3M
- Investment Services: +8.76% 3M
The banking complex remains particularly healthy over the medium term:
Banks +20.37% 52W / +9.27% YTD.
However, banks have slipped 2.77% over five days, suggesting some near-term consolidation.
Consumer Sector: Strong Pockets, Weak Pockets
Consumer performance is highly fragmented.
Strong
- Beverages: +5.62% 5D / +18.01% YTD
- Soft Drinks: +5.64% / +19.05% YTD
- Food & Beverage: +15.68% YTD
- Food Retailers & Wholesalers: +16.75% YTD
- Travel & Tourism: +21.32% 1M / +25.91% 3M
- Restaurants & Bars: +8.67% 1M
Weak
- Automobiles: -19.78% YTD
- Footwear: -28.38% YTD
- Toys: -18.73% YTD
- Leisure Goods: -18.85% YTD
- Gambling: -27.68% YTD
- Personal Goods: -13.05% YTD
This tells us that the consumer market is not experiencing a uniform risk-on rally.
Instead, investors appear to favor:
essential consumption + selected services + travel
while avoiding several discretionary categories.
Real Estate: Major Internal Divergence
Real estate presents one of the clearest internal splits.
Strong
- Residential REITs: +5.25% YTD
- Retail REITs: +15.18% YTD
- Diversified REITs: +11.22% YTD
- Industrial & Office REITs: +10.70% YTD
- Specialty REITs: +17.51% YTD
Weak
- Real Estate Investment & Services: -20.36% YTD
- Real Estate Services: -20.36% YTD
- Mortgage Finance: -13.70% YTD
- Home Construction: -2.55% YTD
- Home Improvement Retailers: -2.60% YTD
The market is therefore favoring income-producing real estate structures over highly rate-sensitive or transaction-dependent real-estate businesses.
Major Industry Leaders
Based purely on the supplied performance data:
| Rank | Industry | 5D | 1M | 52W | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Gold Mining | +12.29% | +42.55% | +89.16% | +32.61% |
| 🥈 | Mining | +11.73% | +42.43% | +82.41% | +31.83% |
| 🥉 | Nonferrous Metals | +13.78% | +24.28% | +79.76% | +53.18% |
| 4 | Business Training & Employment | +6.21% | +40.79% | +13.25% | +36.84% |
| 5 | Personal Products | +10.86% | +12.69% | -3.39% | +8.84% |
| 6 | Pharmaceuticals | +5.58% | +6.28% | +54.23% | +22.94% |
| 7 | Biotechnology | +6.44% | +11.66% | +31.83% | +16.55% |
| 8 | Exploration & Production | +2.08% | +9.35% | +53.60% | +54.82% |
| 9 | Durable Household Products | -0.06% | +20.26% | +10.20% | +24.44% |
| 10 | Insurance Brokers | +6.40% | +7.12% | -7.93% | +3.09% |
Biggest Short-Term Losers
The five-day data highlights where the current correction is concentrated:
| Industry | 5D | 1M | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Equipment | -12.60% | +0.51% | +33.88% |
| Heavy Construction | -12.56% | -4.37% | +34.79% |
| Electrical Components & Equipment | -10.71% | -4.39% | +27.87% |
| Iron & Steel | -10.50% | -4.15% | +33.17% |
| Semiconductors | -8.63% | -2.72% | +32.13% |
| Trucking | -7.19% | -12.10% | +29.96% |
| Aerospace | -7.14% | -4.47% | +7.36% |
| Airlines | -6.39% | -4.48% | +0.83% |
| Technology Hardware | -6.37% | -3.41% | +30.45% |
| Aerospace & Defense | -6.46% | -3.83% | +6.65% |
Critical Observation
Several of these groups have excellent YTD returns despite very poor recent performance.
That is a classic sign of rotation/profit-taking rather than necessarily a completed bear trend.
For example:
Semiconductors: +32.13% YTD vs. -8.63% 5D
and
Electronic Equipment: +33.88% YTD vs. -12.60% 5D
These are areas where momentum investors should distinguish between healthy consolidation and actual trend deterioration.
Relative Strength Matrix
🟢 Strong + Accelerating
- Gold Mining
- Mining
- Nonferrous Metals
- Biotechnology
- Pharmaceuticals
- Exploration & Production
- Travel & Tourism
- Software
- Food & Beverage
- Beverages
🟢 Strong Long-Term / Currently Correcting
- Semiconductors
- Technology Hardware
- Electronic Equipment
- Electrical Components
- Iron & Steel
- Industrial Engineering
- Aerospace
- Defense
🟡 Neutral / Transitional
- Banks
- Financial Services
- Retail
- Consumer Services
- Real Estate Investment Trusts
- Internet
- Industrial Transportation
- Chemicals
🔴 Structurally Weak
- Automobiles
- Real Estate Services
- Footwear
- Gambling
- Leisure Goods
- Toys
- Media Agencies
- Computer Services
- Medical Equipment
- Utilities
- Mortgage Finance
Sector Rotation Signal
The current data points toward a market experiencing aggressive internal rotation rather than broad market capitulation.
The strongest evidence is the combination of:
Commodities ↑
Energy ↑
Healthcare ↑
Financials ↔/↑
Software ↑
Semiconductors ↓
Hardware ↓
Utilities ↓
Autos ↓
Real Estate Services ↓
This is a very different market structure from a simple “risk-on/risk-off” environment.
The dominant theme
Hard assets + inflation-sensitive industries + healthcare + selective growth
are currently attracting capital, while parts of the previous technology/industrial leadership are being trimmed.
StockInsight™ Market Radar Interpretation
🟢 Market Regime: Bullish — Rotation Phase
Underlying trend: Bullish
Short-term breadth: Weakening
Medium-term breadth: Constructive
Leadership: Commodities / Energy / Healthcare
Technology: Corrective
Small/Mid Caps: Structurally strong but short-term under pressure
Risk appetite: Moderate
Rotation intensity: High
What Matters Most Now
The key question is whether the technology/industrial pullback stabilizes while commodity and healthcare leadership remains intact.
If that occurs, the market could be undergoing a normal leadership rotation inside a continuing bull market.
If semiconductor, hardware and industrial weakness continues to broaden while small-/mid-cap breadth deteriorates further, the correction would become more concerning.
For now, the data favors the first interpretation.
Bottom Line
The U.S. equity market remains structurally bullish, but leadership has changed dramatically.
The strongest trade is currently not mega-cap technology. It is commodities, metals, mining, energy, healthcare and selected financial/consumer groups.
The standout momentum clusters are:
Gold Mining → Mining → Nonferrous Metals → Energy E&P → Pharmaceuticals/Biotech.
At the same time, the market is aggressively taking profits in semiconductors, electronic equipment, aerospace, heavy construction and other industries that had already produced substantial YTD gains.
The most important signal to monitor is therefore rotation breadth rather than simply the S&P 500. A continuation of strong materials/energy/healthcare breadth combined with stabilization in technology would be a constructive setup. Conversely, simultaneous deterioration across commodities, financials, small caps and technology would materially weaken the bullish thesis.
