On the final day of the quarter, all three major US indices are poised for their strongest performance since the second quarter of 2003, when the Dow , S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite were up 12% or higher for the quarter.
Reinforcing the view that the worst of the credit crisis might be over, the S&P 500 index, an equity benchmark accounting for over 70% of the total market cap of all the stocks traded in the US, was up 15.2% for Q2 and had its strongest quarter since Q4 of 1998.
The Dow, up 11.0% for Q2, had its best quarter since Q4 of 2003 when it gained 12.71%, while the NASDAQ Composite, up 20.1% for Q2, had its strongest quarter since Q2 of 2003 when it gained 20.99%.
Here is a look at some of the best and worst performers for the quarter and YTD, as of the quarter's close.
YTD Winners and Losers
Despite sharp gains this quarter, the Dow Jones Industrial Average continues to trade down ~4% year-to-date. On the other hand, the NASDAQ Composite has jumped over 16% in 2009, followed by the S&P 500, with a gain of ~2%.
The following tables include the top and bottom five stocks for each index in 2009, as of yesterday's close.
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