Don't hate on the market because winning sectors are traditionally defensive plays, Chris Verrone of Strategas said Thursday.
"What really strikes me is that the rally in the broader market is being discounted because health care is leading," he said. "So, just buy health care."
On CNBC's "Fast Money," Verrone said that historical stock performance shows that strength in defensive sectors can lead the market higher.
"What really strikes me is, coming off the August '82 lows, as the market was breaking out in August '82, for the next six, seven years, your leadership was consumer staples," he said. "So this entire bull market, even up through the '90s, staples were leading, health care was leading."
Verrone used Johnson & Johnson as an example of a safety stock that shows strength.
"JNJ was trying to get through $70, $75 for about 13 years. It's $82 right now," he said. "When the stock broke out in 1995, it went up for 15 of the next 19 quarters, he said. "We think this is a similar break out, and we're seeing it all across health care — Bristol-Myers, JNJ, Pfizer. We like the space here."
Another stock called out for a potential breakout was Boston Scientific, which Verrone said was poised to climb toward $10 per share.
"So I don't necessarily buy the argument that health care or staples is bad leadership," he said. "I would say just buy health care or staples."
(Read More: When Defensive Stocks Outperform, Not Always a Red Flag)
Trader disclosure: On March 28, 2013, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC's "Fast Money" were owned by the "Fast Money" traders: Enis Taner is long GS; Enis Taner is long GS PUT SPREAD; Enis Taner is long BIDU CALL SPREAD; Enis Taner is long MSFT PUTS; Enis Taner is long YHOO CALL SPREAD; Enis Taner is long FXE PUTS; Enis Taner is long XLV; Guy Adami is long C; Guy Adami is long GS; Guy Adami is long INTC; Guy Adami is long MSFT; Guy Adami is long NUE; Guy Adami is long AGU; Guy Adami is long BTU; Brian Kelly is long TREASURIES; Brian Kelly is long GOLD; Brian Kelly is long SILVER; Brian Kelly is short S&P 500; Brian Kelly is short CAC; Brian Kelly is short DAX; Brian Kelly is short EURO; Brian Kelly is short EUROSTOXX; Tim Seymour is long AAPL; Tim Seymour is long BAC; Tim Seymour is long INTC; Tim Seymour is long CSCO; Tim Seymour is long WMT; Tim Seymour is long SBUX; Tim Seymour is long CLF.
