Market Sectors and Industry Groups

Michael N. Kahn, CMT

Most of the time, certain sectors of the market are leading the charge while others are lagging. While in a roaring bull market, even the laggards may be rising, too, but we are concerned with putting our money in stocks that will be the best.

The term “in the right place at the right time” can be applied to stocks just as well as it can to people. Company A may be the low-cost producer of the highest quality newspapers, but when the world shifts to the Internet for its news and advertisements, Company A will suffer along with the worst newspaper producers.

Conversely, if Company B manufactures a small component for Internet connections but is poorly run and suffers many product problems, ...