Hottest and Coldest Sectors For the First Half of 2011

The S&P 500 has gained 7.6% over the past six months. In that timeframe, nearly every major sector put in a gain over 3% - except for the Financials Sector, which gained a paltry 0.3%.

The underperformance of the Financials Sector could either be a warning sign of troubled times ahead, or may serve as a buying opportunity, as the market rolls into the second half of the year. After all, investment managers and traders are constantly looking for potential future areas of growth, which often comes from the most badly beaten down areas of the market.

The S&P 500 Health Care Sector has been the strongest performing area of the market over the past six months, gaining 15.5% in that time. The best performing stocks in the S&P Health Care Sector over the past six months have been:

1) Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIG): Currently trading at $108.50, shares of Biogen Idec have gained 61.8% over the past six months.

2) Humana (NYSE: HUM): Currently trading at $83.12, shares of Humana have gained 51.8% over the past six months.

3) Aetna (NYSE: AET): Currently trading at $45.23, shares of Aetna have gained 48.3% over the past six months.

4) Unitedhealth Group (NYSE: UNH): Currently trading at $53.13, shares of Unitedhealth have gained 47.1% over the past six months.

5) Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG): Currently trading at $378.65, shares of Intuitive Surgical have gained 46.9% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Health Care Stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Medco Health Solutions (NYSE: MHS): Currently trading at $56.83, shares of Medco Health have lost 7.2% over the past six months.

2) Life Technologies (NASDAQ: LIFE): Currently trading at $52.33, shares of Life Technologies have lost 5.7% over the past six months.

3) Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX): Currently trading at $7.23, shares of Boston Scientific have lost 4.5% over the past six months.

The S&P 500 Consumer Services Sector has gained 11.4% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Consumer Services Sector in that time have been:

1) Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX): Currently trading at $267.99, shares of Netflix have gained 52.3% over the past six months.

2) CBS (NYSE: CBS): Currently trading at $28.55, shares of CBS have gained 49.9% over the past six months.

3) Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG): Currently trading at $315.72, shares of Chipotle Mexican have gained 48.46% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Consumer Services Stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS): Currently trading at $15.92, shares of Staples have lost 30% over the past six months.

2) Radioshack (NYSE: RSH): Currently trading at $13.70, shares of Radioshack have lost 25.9% over the past six months.

3) Cablevision Systems (NYSE: CVC): Currently trading at $25.96, shares of Cablevision have lost 23.3% over the past six months.

The S&P Oil & Gas Sector has gained 11.4% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Oil & Gas sector in that time have been:

1) Cabot Oil and GAS (NYSE: COG): Currently trading at $67.21, shares of Cabot have gained 77.6% over the past six months.

2) El Paso (NYSE: EP): Currently trading at $20.43, shares of El Paso have gained 48.5% over the past six months.

3) Helmerich & Payne (NYSE: HP): Currently trading at $67.47, shares of Helmerich & Payne have gained 39.2% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Oil & Gas stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite overall positive Sector performance:

1) Marathon Oil (NYSE: MRO): Currently trading at $32.95, shares of Marathon Oil have lost 11% over the past six months.

2) Murphy Oil Group (NYSE: MUR): Currently trading at $66.49, shares of Murphy Oil Group have lost 10.8% over the past six months.

The S&P Industrials Sector has gained 9.6% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Industrials Sector in that time have been:

1) Iron Mountain (NYSE: IRM): Currently trading at $34.39, shares of Iron Mountain have gained 37.5% over the past six months.

2) MeadWestvaco (NYSE: MWV): Currently trading at $33.91, shares of MeadWestvaco have gained 29.6% over the past six months.

3) Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A): Currently trading at $52.00, shares of Agilent have gained 25.5% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Industrials stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector Performance:

1) Monster Worldwide (NYSE: MWW): Currently trading at $14.87, shares of Monster Worldwide have lost 37.1% over the past six months.

2) Owens-Illinois (NYSE: OI): Currently trading at $26.18, shares of Owens-Illinois have lost 14.7% over the past six months.

The S&P Utilities Sector has gained 8.7% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Utilities Sector in that time have been:

1) Oneok (NYSE: OKE): Currently trading at $75.35, shares of Oneok have gained 35.8% over the past six months.

2) NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG): Currently trading at $24.80, shares of NRG have gained 26.9% over the past six months.

3) Constellation Energy Group (NYSE: CEG): Currently trading at $38.60, shares of Constellation have gained 26% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Utilities stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) PG&E (NYSE: PCG): Currently trading at $42.66, shares of PG&E have lost 10.8% over the past six months.

2) Entergy (NYSE: ETR): Currently trading at $68.38, shares of Entergy have lost 3.4% over the past six months.

The S&P Consumer Goods Sector has gained 7.7% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Consumer Goods Sector over that time have been:

1) Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS): Currently trading at $24.19, shares of Electronic Arts have gained 47.7% over the past six months.

2) The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT): Currently trading at $17.29, shares of Goodyear have gained 45.9% over the past six months.

3) Dean Foods (NYSE: DF): Currently trading at $12.37, shares of Dean Foods have gained 39.9% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Consumer Goods stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Ford Motor (NYSE: F): Currently trading at $14.02, shares of Ford have lost 16.5% over the past six months.

2) Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL): Currently trading at $16.13, shares of Newell Rubbermaid have lost 11.3% over the past six months.

The S&P Telecomm Sector has gained 6.8% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Telecomm Sector in that time have been:

1) Metropcs Communications (NYSE: PCS): Currently trading at $17.77, shares of Metropcs have gained 40.7% over the past six months.

2) Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S): Currently trading at $5.43, shares of Sprint have gained 28.4% over the past six months.

3) Leucadia National (NYSE: LUK): Currently trading at $34.95, shares of Leucadia have gained 19.8% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Telecomm stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Frontier Communications (NYSE: FTR): Currently trading at $8.20, shares of Frontier Communications have lost 15.7% over the past six months.

2) Centurylink (NYSE: CT): Currently trading at $41.03, shares of Centurylink have lost 11.1% over the past six months.

The S&P Basic Materials Sector has gained 3.2% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Basic Materials Sector in that time have been:

1) Eastman Chemical (NYSE: EMN): Currently trading at $103.99, shares of Eastman Chemical have gained 23.7% over the past six months.

2) Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF): Currently trading at $93.70, shares of Cliffs have gained 20.1% over the past six months.

3) International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE: IFF): Currently trading at $64.73, shares of International Flavors & Fragrances have gained 16.4% over the past six months.

4) Praxair (NYSE: PX): Currently trading at $109.01, shares of Praxair have gained 14.2% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Basic Materials stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR): Currently trading at $46.75, shares of Alpha Natural have lost 22.1% over the past six months.

2) United States Steel (NYSE: X): Currently trading at $46.91, shares of United States Steel have lost 19.7% over the past six months.

3) Newmont Mining (NYSE: NEM): Currently trading at $53.74, shares of Newmont Mining have lost 12.5% over the past six months.

4) Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX): Currently trading at $53.50, shares of Freeport McMoran have lost 10.9% over the past six months.

The S&P Technology Sector has gained 3.2% over the past six months. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Technology Sector in that time have been:

1) National Semiconductor (NYSE: NSM): Currently trading at $24.66, shares of National Semiconductor have gained 79.2% over the past six months.

2) Teradata (NYSE: TDC): Currently trading at $60.91, shares of Teradata have gained 48% over the past six months.

3) Altera (NASDAQ: ALTR): Currently trading at $47.53, shares of Altera have gained 33.6% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Technology stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM): Currently trading at $31.49, shares of Akamai have lost 33.1% over the past six months.

2) Tellabs (NASDAQ: TLAB): Currently trading at $4.63, shares of Tellabs have lost 31.7% over the past six months.

3) Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI): Currently trading at $46.50, shares of Motorola Solutions have lost 26.8% over the past six months.

The S&P Financials Sector has been the worst performing area of the market over the past six months, gaining a meager 0.3% in that time. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Financials Sector over the past six months have been:

1) Moodys (NYSE: MCO): Currently trading at $39.01, shares of Moody's have gained 47% over the past six months.

2) Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS): Currently trading at $26.55, shares of Discover have gained 43.3% over the past six months.

3) Mastercard (NYSE: MA): Currently trading at $314.47, shares of Mastercard have gained 40.3% over the past six months.

4) SLM (NYSE: SLM): Currently trading at $16.98, shares of SLM have gained 34.9% over the past six months.

5) Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP): Currently trading at $107.83, shares of Boston Properties have gained 25.2% over the past six months.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Financial stocks have shown signs of weakness over the past six months, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) American International Group (NYSE: AIG): Currently trading at $29.98, shares of American International Group have lost 48% over the past six months.

2) Hudson City Bancorp (NASDAQ: HCBK): Currently trading at $8.25, shares of Hudson City have lost 35.2% over the past six months.

3) Janus Capital (NYSE: JNS): Currently trading at $9.60, shares of Janus Capital have lost 26% over the past six months.

4) Genworth Financial (NYSE: GNW): Currently trading at $10.56, shares of Genworth Financial have lost 19.6% over the past six months.

5) Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS): Currently trading at $136.65, shares of Goldman Sachs have lost 18.7% over the past six months.