Nine of 11 sectors are higher in Tuesday’s regular session, with defensive sectors holding two of the top three positions. The leaders are separated rather than clustered, with Utilities well ahead of the next group.

SectorTickerPriceChange
UtilitiesXLU40.84+2.16%
Real EstateXLRE41.15+1.18%
Consumer DiscretionaryXLY111.56+1.02%
TechnologyXLK202.96+1.00%
Consumer StaplesXLP81.78+0.91%
IndustrialsXLI171.44+0.78%
FinancialsXLF54.13+0.47%
MaterialsXLB49.67+0.35%
EnergyXLE63.58+0.20%
Communication ServicesXLC111.56-0.05%
Health CareXLV166.53-0.51%

Market Snapshot

The major averages are higher except for small caps: the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) is up 0.68% and the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:QQQ) 0.74%, while the State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (NYSE:DIA) is up 0.49% and the iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (NYSE:IWM) is down 0.59%. Four of the 11 sectors outpace the S&P 500. Sectors below are ranked against one another rather than grouped by direction, so a sector can be higher and still rank among the day’s laggards.

Leading Sectors

Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLU) +2.16%

Among the sector’s large-cap names, Southern Co (NYSE:SO) is up 1.02%, American Electric Power Co Inc (NASDAQ:AEP) 0.78% and Dominion Energy Inc (NYSE:D) 0.57%.

Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLRE) +1.18%

Among the sector’s large-cap names, Equinix Inc (NASDAQ:EQIX) is up 1.49%, Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) 1.35% and American Tower Corp (NYSE:AMT) 0.86%.

Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLY) +1.02%

Among the sector’s large-cap names, Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) is up 1.54%, The Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) 1.41% and Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) 0.66%.

Middle Of The Pack

  • Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLK) +1.00%
  • Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLP) +0.91%
  • Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLI) +0.78%
  • Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLF) +0.47%
  • Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLB) +0.35%

Lagging Sectors

Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLE) +0.20%

Higher so far but the weakest of the advancing sectors. Among the sector’s large-cap names, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is up 0.75%, EOG Resources Inc (NYSE:EOG) 0.54% and ExxonMobil Holdings Corp (NYSE:XOM) 0.29%.

Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLC) -0.05%

Among the sector’s large-cap names, Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) is up 0.01%, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) 0.29% and The Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) 0.42%.

Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLV) -0.51%

Among the sector’s large-cap names, AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) is down 1.49%, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) 0.59% and UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) 0.46%.

Cross-Sector Takeaway

The 2.67-point spread between Utilities and Health Care is more than three times the largest move among the major averages, which are down between 0.59% and up 0.74%. The major averages are higher except for small caps, masking a session where leadership is concentrated in Utilities. Defensives are leading the advance — Utilities ranks first and Real Estate second — an unusual mix for a higher tape.

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