Hottest and Coldest Sectors for Thursday 7/7/2011

By Benjamin Lee
Benzinga Staff Writer
July 07, 2011 7:35 PM

Symbols: $SPX, AES, AMAT, ANR, APA, ATI, AVP, AVY, CEG, CELG, CNX, COST, CTL, DNR, DPS, EXC, FLR, FRX, GT, HAL, HBAN, HRL, HUM, ISRG, JCP, JNPR, JNS, KLAC, KSS, LEN, LM, LUK, MAS, MON, MU, NE, NOC, NYX, PCAR, PCP, PCS, PFE, PHM, PLD, RDC, S, SO, TGT, TXT, URBN, VLO, WDC, YUM, ZMH

Tags: S&P 500, S&P 500 Basic Materials Sector, S&P 500 Consumer Goods Sector, S&P 500 Consumer Services Sector, S&P 500 Financials Sector, S&P 500 Health Care Sector, S&P 500 Industrials Sector, S&P 500 Oil & Gas Sector, S&P 500 Technology Sector, S&P 500 Telecomm Sector, S&P 500 Utilities Sector, SPX

Posted in: Long Ideas, News, Short Ideas, Technicals, Hot, Pre-Market Outlook, After-Hours Center, Markets, Movers, Trading Ideas

The S&P 500 (SPX) gained 14 points, or 1%, in today's session to close at 1353.22. The index is nearing its 52-week high of 1370.58, which was set on May 2nd.

The Sector breakdown for Thursday's session is as follows:

The S&P 500 was led by the Basic Materials Sector in Thursday's session, gaining 1.8% on the day. The Sector has gained 7.5% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Basic Materials Sector in today's action were:

1) CONSOL Energy (NYSE: CNX): Shares of CONSOL Energy finished up 4% from Wednesday's close to $50.90.

2) Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold: Shares of Freeport finished up 3.7% from Wednesday's close to 55.49.

3) Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR): Shares of Alpha Natural finished up 3.4% from Wednesday's close to $46.57.

4) Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI): Shares of Allegheny finished up 3% from Wednesday's close to $62.23.

5) Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY): Shares of Avery Dennison finished up 3% from Wednesday's close to $39.59.

The S&P 500 Financials Sector gained 1.6% in Thursday's trading session. The Sector has gained 6.1% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Financials Sector in today's action were:

1) Janus Capital (NYSE: JNS): Shares of Janus Capital finished up 5.9% from Wednesday's close to $10.12.

2) Prologis (NYSE: PLD): Shares of Prologis finished up 3.5% from Wednesday's close to $37.26.

3) Legg Mason (NYSE: LM): Shares of Legg Mason finished up 3.3% from Wednesday's close to $34.22.

4) Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ: HBAN): Shares of Huntington Bancshares finished up 3% from Wednesday's close to $6.74.

5) NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX): Shares of NYSE Euronext finished up 3% from Wednesday's close to $35.40.

The S&P 500 Technology Sector gained 1.4% in Thursday's trading session. The Sector has gained 5.7% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Technology Sector in today's action were:

1) KLA Tencor (NASDAQ: KLAC): Shares of KLA finished up 7% from Wednesday's close to $42.53.

2) Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR): Shares of Juniper Networks finished up 4.1% from Wednesday's close to $32.80.

3) Micron Technology (NYSE: MU): Shares of Micron Technology finished up 3.4% from Wednesday's close to $7.82.

4) Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT): Shares of Applied Materials finished up 3% from Wednesday's close to $13.44.

5) Western Digital (NYSE: WDC): Shares of Western Digital finished up 3% from Wednesday's close to $38.51.

The S&P Consumer Services Sector gained 1.4% in Thursday's trading session. The Sector has gained 6.8% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Consumer Services Sector in today's action were:

1) Kohl's (NYSE: KSS): Shares of Kohl's finished up 7.1% from Wednesday's close to $55.78.

2) Target (NYSE: TGT): Shares of Target finished up 6.7% from Wednesday's close to $51.67.

3) Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN): Shares of Urban Outfitters finished up 6% from Wednesday's close to $32.58.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Consumer Services Stocks showed signs of weakness in today's session despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) JC Penney (NYSE: JCP): Shares of JC Penny finished down 1.4% from Wednesday's close to $33.73.

2) YUM! Brands (NYSE: YUM): Shares of YUM finished down 1% from Wednesday's close to $55.59.

3) Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST): Shares of Costco Wholesale finished down 0.7% from Wednesday's close to $82.06.

The S&P 500 Oil & Gas Sector gained 1.4% in Thursday's trading session. The Sector has gained 5% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Oil & Gas Sector in today's action were:

1) Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO): Shares of Valero finished up 4% from Wednesday's close to $26.32.

2) Halliburton (NYSE: HAL): Shares of Halliburton finished up 3.1% from Wednesday's close to $54.30.

3) Denbury Resources (NYSE: DNR): Shares of Denbury Resources finished up 2.7% from Wednesday's close to $20.41.

4) Apache (NYSE: APA): Shares of Apache finished up 2.2% from Wednesday's close to $126.38.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Oil & Gas stocks showed signs of weakness in today's session, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Noble (NYSE: NE): Shares of Noble finished down 1.7% from Wednesday's close to $37.69.

2) Rowan Companies (NYSE: RDC): Shares of Rowan finished down 0.2% from Wednesday's close to $38.82.

The S&P 500 Industrials Sector gained 1.1% in Thursday's session. The Sector has gained 7.1% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Industrials Sector in today's action were:

1) Textron (NYSE: TXT): Shares of Textron finished up 3.7% from Wednesday's close to $23.46.

2) PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR): Shares of PACCAR finished up 3.4% from Wednesday's close to $53.39.

3) Fluor (NYSE: FLR): Shares of Fluor finished up 2.9% from Wednesday's close to $66.78.

Weakness in the Sector: the following Industrials stocks showed signs of weakness in today's session, despite positive overall sector performance:

1) Precision Castparts (NYSE: PCP): Shares of Precision Castparts finished down 3.4% from Wednesday's close to $164.18.

2) Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC): Shares of Northrop Grumman finished down 2.4% from Wednesday's close to $68.50.

3) Masco (NYSE: MAS): Shares of Masco finished down 0.3% from Wednesday's close to $12.04.

The S&P 500 Consumer Goods Sector gained 0.6% in Thursday's session. The Sector has gained 4.5% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Consumer Goods Sector in today's action were:

1) Avon Products (NYSE: AVP): Shares of Avon Products finished up 4.8% from Wednesday's close to $28.74.

2) Pultegroup (NYSE: PHM): Shares of Pultegroup finished up 3.4% from Wednesday's close to $7.84.

3) Lennar (NYSE: LEN): Shares of Lennar finished up 3.3% from Wednesday's close to $18.90.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Consumer Goods stocks showed signs of weakness in today's session, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS): Shares of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group finished down 2.7% from Wednesday's close to $41.65.

2) The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT): Shares of Goodyear Tire finished down 2.4% from Wednesday's close to $17.43.

3) Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL): Shares of Hormel Foods finished down 1.5% from Wednesday's close to $29.85.

The S&P 500 Utilities Sector gained 0.4% in Thursday's trading session. The Sector has gained 3.2% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Utilities Sector in today's action were:

1) Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG): Shares of Constellation Energy finished up 2% from Wednesday's close to $38.93.

2) Exelon (NYSE: EXC): Shares of Exelon finished up 1.9% from Wednesday's close to $43.74.

3) AES (NYSE: AES): Shares of AES finished up 1.2% from Wednesday's close to $13.13.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Utilities stocks showed signs of weakness in today's session, despite positive overall Sector performance:

1) Southern (NYSE: SO): Shares of Southern finished down 0.4% from Wednesday's close to $40.48

2) Northeast Utilities (NYSE: MON): Shares of Northeast Utilities finished down 0.4% from Wednesday's close to $35.36.

The S&P 500Telecomm Sector barely squeaked out a gain of 0.01% in Thursday's trading session. The Sector has gained 3.8% over the past 30 days. The strongest performing stocks in the S&P Telecomm Sector in today's action were:

1) Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S): Shares of Sprint Nextel finished up 2.5% from Wednesday's close to $5.65.

2) Leucadia National (NYSE: LUK): Shares of Leucadia finished up 0.9% from Wednesday's close to $35.85.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Telecomm stocks showed signs of weakness in today's session.

1) Metropcs Communications (NYSE: PCS): Shares of Metropcs finished down 0.5% from Wednesday's close to $17.35.

2) Centurylink (NYSE: CTL): Shares of Centurylink finished down 0.5% from Wednesday's close to $40.71.

The S&P 500 Health Care Sector was the worst performing area of the market in Thursday's session, losing 0.1% on the day. The Sector has gained 2.8% over the past 30 days. The worst performing stocks in the S&P Health Care Sector in today's action were:

1) Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG): Shares of Intuitive Surgical finished down 3.3% from Wednesday's close to $368.25.

2) Pfizer (NYSE: PFE): Shares of Pfizer finished down 2.7% from Wednesday's close to $20.23.

3) Humana (NYSE: HUM): Shares of Humana finished down 2.2% from Wednesday's close to $81.74.

Weakness in the Sector: The following Health Care stocks showed signs of strength in today's session, despite overall Sector weakness:

1) Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX): Shares of Forest Laboratories finished up 2.3% from Wednesday's close to $39.92.

2) Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG): Shares of Celgene finished up 1.9% from Wednesday's close to $61.68.

3) Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH): Shares of Zimmer Holdings finished up 1.8% from Wednesday's close to $65.73.