These stocks managed to rack up big gains this week despite the rocky market

Published Sat, Apr 4 202011:27 AM EDT

(This story is for CNBC Pro subscribers only.) After a big bounce in the market last week, stocks are back to their losing ways, with only a handful of companies ending the week with significant gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.7% this week, with the S & P 500 and Nasdaq also finishing the week in the red. The Dow and S & P 500 finished out their worst first quarter on record on Tuesday, only for the Dow to fall more than 1,000 points on Wednesday. After a short market bounce in the end of March, investors returned to a more defensive strategy as stocks struggled this week. Once again, the outperformers are the U.S. businesses benefiting from the coronavirus shutdown, led by consumer staples and pharmaceuticals. There was also a big bounce in energy stocks as oil rebounded from its collapse. Here's the top performers in the S & P 500 this week. Consumer Staples Consumer Staples stocks are getting a boost from the coronavirus pandemic, serving as an important source of food and cleaning supplies as physical stores are closing and people increasingly avoid public spaces. The stocking-up trend is boosting companies like Campbell Soup and Conagra Brands , which returned 12.1% and 11.8% this week, respectively. Kroger also rose 10.9% in five sessions. Dollar General was also a winner this week, gaining 11% since Monday. Wells Fargo upgraded shares of Dollar General to overweight from equal weight on Tuesday. The Wall Street firm said the discount retailer that it's the "best stock in the consumer arsenal" if the coronavirus leads to more economic headwinds. " DG has numerous underappreciated tailwinds gaining steam that we believe make the stock a particularly attractive investment at the moment," Wells Fargo told clients. Cereal company General Mills also rose more than 9% this week alone. Pharma Drug companies have also gotten a boost during the global pandemic as they steer their resources into finding a vaccine or treatment for the deadly COVID-19. Biotech giant Regeneron said last month , it aims to have doses of a potential drug for the coronavirus ready to start human clinical trials by early summer. Regeneron returned nearly 10% this week. Vertex Pharmaceuticals gained 9.7% this week. Energy Energy stocks were big outperformers this week thanks to the more than 30% rally in oil prices this week. The commodity had its best week on record on the hopes that a production cut deal will soon be reached after OPEC and its allies announced they will hold a virtual meeting on Monday. Oil also got a boost after Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly said that the county wanted to see global action on cuts of around 10 million barrels per day. The move in oil prices made Devon Energy, Diamondback Energy, Noble Energy, Concho Resources and ConocoPhillips some of the biggest winners in the S & P 500 this week. While there was major moves in the energy sector this week, many analysts and investors have cautioned about trying to pick a bottom in this troubled sector.

Cans of Campbell Soup Co. Campbell's chicken noodle and tomato soup.

Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

(This story is for CNBC Pro subscribers only.)

After a big bounce in the market last week, stocks are back to their losing ways, with only a handful of companies ending the week with significant gains.