Top 10 Stocks for Each of the Top Performing Sectors

Followed by a year marked by the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, optimism for a modest recovery seems to have taken root among some investors.

”We've made the lows for the cycle; we won't go up in a straight line, we'll have a saw-tooth pattern, but I think we'll get to 1,200 [for the S&P] before the year is out,” said Byron Wien, Pequot Capital Chief Investment Strategist, during an interview on Squawk Box yesterday. (Read Byron Wien's Top Ten Predictions for 2009)

In the last eight trading sessions and as of yesterday's close, the S&P 500 Index was up 8.3%, followed by a gain of 7.6% for the NASDAQ 100, a rise of 7.1% for the Dow, and an increase of 9.8% for the Russell 2000. Today, the markets are down on some tough economic news.

Within the NASDAQ 100 Index, companies such as Microsoft (MSFT), Google (GOOG), and Cisco Sytems (CSCO) jumped over 7% in the first three trading days of the year. The biggest gainers as of yesterday included NII Holdings (NIHD), Wynn Resorts (WYNN), and Sun Microsystems (JAVA), each having jumped over 30% YTD.

The following table depicts the top ten percent gainers in the NASDAQ 100 for the first three days of the year:

Top S&P Sectors YTD

Among the major sectors in the S&P 500 Index, the Information Technology Sector is leading the way with a gain of 8% YTD. The S&P Technology sector is above its 50-day moving average, and it’s trading at its highest level since November 5, 2008. Companies such as International Business Machine (IBM), and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), are up 6% and 8% respectively in 2009.

The following list depicts the top ten percent gainers in the S&P 500 Technology Sector as of yesterday:

See the Next Top Performing Sector

The S&P Consumer Discretionary Sector is up 7% year-to-date, occupying the second place among the top performing sectors in the S&P 500 Index. It is also trading above its 50-day moving average, or its highest level since November 4, 2008. Companies such as Home Depot (HD), Time Warner (TWX), and Target (TGT), are up over 9% YTD.

The following list depicts the top ten percent gainers in the S&P Consumer Discretionary Sector YTD:

The S&P Consumer Discretionary Sector is up 7% year-to-date, occupying the second place among the top performing sectors in the S&P 500 Index. It is also trading above its 50-day moving average, or its highest level since November 4, 2008. Companies such as Home Depot (HD), Time Warner (TWX), and Target (TGT), are up over 9% YTD.

See the Next Top Performer

The S&P 500 Energy Sector has broken out of its 50-day moving average and is trading at its highest level since November 4, 2008. Year-to-date, the S&P Energy Sector is up 6%. Companies such Schlumberger (SLB), Apache (APA), and XTO Energy (XTO), are up over 13% YTD.

Here is a list of the top ten percent gainers in the S&P 500 Energy Sector YTD:

Data Source: Thomson Reuters

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