Archive of Previous Issues

Sector

29Jun06 to
29Dec06

Week of 
29Dec 06

2006 Full Year Commentary

Computer Hardware

+23.06%

A 33% rally since the July lows made up for a disastrous first half. The 20% gain for the year puts Computer Hardware in the No. 11 slot.

Telecommunications did well, maintaining above average relative strength throughout most of  the year, and coming in at No. 5 with a 27% gain.

With the exception of weakness in March and April, the smokers had a very good year, grabbing the top spot for 13 weeks during the market's summer swoon, and coming in at No. 3 for the year with a 28% gain. 

This sector put in a lackluster first half of the year, but then came on strong during the summer, ending at No. 4 with a 27% yearly gain.

A disastrous selloff in late spring set the sector up for a strong bounce off support. A 22% gain for the year puts Chemicals in the No.10 slot.

Real Estate started the year near the bottom of the list but rose strongly by March, and ended the year at No. 2, up 28%. It refused to believe the data or the cries from the doom-and-gloomers predicting trouble ahead.

Followed the market trend for most of the year, then accelerated off the summer lows for a 26% beginning-to-finish gain, and the No. 7 position.

Flatlined until the summer. A good second-half rally totaled up to a 25% gain which is good enough for the No. 9 position.

Failing to catch a bid until springtime, the Autos accelerated into the end of the year with a 27% gain, and the No. 6 spot.

Strength early and late in the year puts this sector at No. 19, up 15%. A dramatic 23% spurt off a double bottom in June and July made up for the springtime selloff.

Flatlined until August, then rallied strongly into the end of the year. A 16% gain placed the sector in the No. 16 spot.

A consistently strong performer all year. Only recently has weakness crept into its performance. The 26% return put it at No. 8 in the rankings.

A decent 20% rally during the last 8 months helped this defensive sector tack on 14%, good enough for the No. 20 spot.

A 25% spurt from July to November gets the Specialty Retailers into the No. 23 position with a total yearly gain of 13%.

After dropping down into support in June, those levels held and provided a platform from which a 14% rally extended into year end, putting the Financials in the No. 21 position.

A 20% meltdown at mid-year cut total gains to only 8%, and pushed the formally high-flying sector down into the No. 29 position. 

 Dow Jones Industrial Avg. 

After hitting the yearly lows in February, the Granddaddy of the large-cap indices led the way higher for the rest of the market into year's end, good enough for the No.17 spot, up 16%. Only recently has the Dow relinquished its Top Ten ranking to other more volatile sectors. 

First half weakness averaged out second half strength to 12% for the full term, and the No. 24 position.

Failing to rally early, then succumbing to the May-June weakness, this sector's come-back try into the end of the year was a flop. Up only 3% for 12 months of work puts it in the next to the bottom slot at No. 31.

A 10% early summer weakness was all that marred the slow, steady rise of the Banking sector. Coming in at No. 15, the group gained 16% for the year.

A gentile uptrend over the past year enabled this defensive sector to be a market leader during the summer weakness. Since then, the more dynamic sectors have grabbed the headlines. However, a 17% gain for the year helped put Food & Beverage into the No. 12 slot.

Pretty well mimicked the broad averages all year. This No. 22 position comes in with a 13% gain. 

It was the 25% selloff in May and June that did in the Electronics sector. It never recovered. The 8% gain puts it down near the bottom of the list at No. 28.

The selloff started at the first of the year and didn't end until August. A rally since failed to excite investors, restricting the sector to a yearly loss of 2%, smack dab on the bottom of the list.

A meager early spring rally was wiped out by the summer selloff. A mediocre rally into year-end amounts to a total of only 7%, and the No. 30 spot.

Politics and failed products have hobbled this sector recently. Although it showed signs  of coming to life during the summer, as the days grew short so did the gains, totaling only 9%, only good enough for the No. 26 spot. 

Although the Metals were the No. 1 sector for the year, up 31%, start to finish, they ended the year weak. The 40% rally into the May highs was pretty much "it" for the year.

Never able to get any real interest generated. A yearly gain of 8% is good enough only for the No. 27 position.

The most volatile sector of the year. Four better-than-10% rallies (and subsequent selloffs) left this sector near the middle of the pack at No. 13, with a 17% gain.

No. 25 with a 9% gain for a sector that showed absolutely no leadership this year.

A strong 20% run into the May's highs, along with a failed try to reclaim former heights equals out to a yearly gain of 16%, and the No. 14 spot.

Despite lackluster end-of-the-year performance, this sector did gain 15% for the whole term, good enough for the No. 18 spot.