S&P 500 sector performance (2026)
From the sector funds' prices. Not supplied or endorsed by S&P Dow Jones Indices.
Energy leads at +48.2%, while Communication Services trails at -6.8%. All eleven sectors are ranked by year-to-date total return using liquid Select Sector ETF proxies.
Performance as of market close, Nov 13, 2026. Returns are total returns with distributions reinvested; 1D is the price move. Not investment advice.
Best-performing S&P 500 sectors YTD#
Data provided bySource: Twelve DataWorst-performing S&P 500 sectors YTD#
Data provided bySource: Twelve DataAll S&P 500 sectors ranked by performance#
Data provided bySource: Twelve DataSort any return column. The ticker is the liquid ETF used as that sector's investable performance proxy.
Columns (8 shown)
| Sector | 1Y1Y chart | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1XLEEnergy | +0.98% | +5.4% | -3.3% | +7.0% | +48.2% | +47.7% | +169.1% | $64.96 | +5.4% | -3.3% | +6.4% | +45.3% | +43.6% | +125.8% | +21.9% | +17.7% | $36B | +2.34% | +2.34% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -7.4% | +48.4% | |
| 2XLVHealth Care | +0.56% | +2.2% | +11.3% | +12.6% | +23.5% | +25.7% | +53.1% | $188.89 | +2.2% | +11.3% | +12.2% | +22.0% | +23.7% | +41.2% | +8.9% | +7.1% | $41B | +1.35% | +1.35% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -1.8% | +33.0% | |
| 3XLPConsumer Staples | +1.42% | +2.5% | +9.7% | +8.1% | +21.2% | +22.7% | +44.7% | $92.35 | +2.5% | +9.7% | +7.4% | +18.9% | +19.4% | +26.8% | +7.7% | +4.9% | $14B | +2.38% | +2.38% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -1.1% | +21.1% | |
| 4XLKTechnology | -2.03% | +3.3% | -13.3% | -10.7% | +18.7% | +19.4% | +111.2% | $170.25 | +3.3% | -13.3% | -10.8% | +18.3% | +18.8% | +103.5% | +16.1% | +15.3% | $124B | +0.49% | +0.49% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -16.2% | +34.4% | |
| 5XLBMaterials | -0.21% | +0.5% | +5.0% | +0.3% | +16.6% | +21.4% | +28.0% | $52.23 | +0.5% | +5.0% | -0.2% | +15.2% | +19.3% | +15.9% | +5.1% | +3.0% | $8B | +1.65% | +1.65% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -4.4% | +23.7% | |
| 6XLREReal Estate | +0.02% | +0.8% | +6.1% | -0.8% | +12.6% | +12.5% | +9.1% | $44.37 | +0.8% | +6.1% | -1.7% | +10.0% | +8.7% | -7.9% | +1.8% | -1.6% | $8B | +3.25% | +3.25% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -4.5% | +11.7% | |
| 7XLIIndustrials | -0.39% | +3.8% | +0.1% | -8.9% | +9.7% | +12.3% | +70.2% | $168.78 | +3.8% | +0.1% | -9.2% | +8.8% | +11.0% | +57.9% | +11.2% | +9.6% | $34B | +1.12% | +1.12% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -10.3% | +14.7% | |
| 8XLFFinancials | +0.81% | +2.7% | +7.0% | +1.1% | +8.4% | +12.5% | +59.3% | $58.68 | +2.7% | +7.0% | +0.7% | +7.1% | +10.8% | +46.2% | +9.8% | +7.9% | $51B | +1.41% | +1.41% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -2.3% | +23.1% | |
| 9XLUUtilities | +0.53% | +2.1% | +5.2% | +0.7% | +5.3% | +2.2% | +53.6% | $44.04 | +2.1% | +5.2% | +0.0% | +3.2% | -0.7% | +32.2% | +9.0% | +5.7% | $23B | +2.75% | +2.75% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -7.9% | +12.8% | |
| 10XLYConsumer Discretionary | -0.40% | +2.0% | +6.8% | +1.5% | +1.1% | +4.3% | +22.8% | $119.98 | +2.0% | +6.8% | +1.3% | +0.5% | +3.4% | +17.7% | +4.2% | +3.3% | $23B | +0.78% | +0.78% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -4.0% | +14.1% | |
| 11XLCCommunication Services | +1.05% | +3.7% | -3.2% | -3.1% | -6.8% | -1.7% | +41.1% | $108.69 | +3.7% | -3.2% | -3.4% | -7.7% | -2.9% | +33.8% | +7.1% | +6.0% | $22B | +1.27% | +1.27% | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.08% | — | — | — | -9.7% | +9.4% |
Methodology#
Each sector is represented by its SPDR Select Sector ETF: XLK, XLF, XLV, XLY, XLP, XLE, XLI, XLB, XLU, XLRE or XLC. Returns from 5 days to 5 years are total returns over split- and dividend-adjusted closes, distributions reinvested; in session they add the live price move and any distribution going ex that day that is already on record, and the nightly update corrects anything missed. ETF proxies avoid the survivorship bias of applying today's constituent list to older periods. They can differ slightly from an official sector-index calculation because of fund fees, tracking difference and the funds' own operating details.
For composition rather than returns, see S&P 500 sector weights.
FAQ#
- What is the best-performing S&P 500 sector in 2026?
- Energy, represented by XLE, is the best-performing S&P 500 sector in 2026 so far at +48.2% (total return).
- What is the worst-performing S&P 500 sector in 2026?
- Communication Services, represented by XLC, is the worst-performing S&P 500 sector in 2026 so far at -6.8% (total return).
- Do these sector returns include dividends?
- Yes. From 5 days to 5 years each sector's figure is the total return of its sector ETF, with distributions reinvested; in session it counts a distribution going ex that day once it is on record, and the nightly update corrects anything it missed. The 1-day column is the price move.
- Why use sector ETFs instead of today's S&P 500 companies?
- ETF histories preserve the investable sector experience through membership changes. Applying today's constituents to prior years would omit companies that left the index and create survivorship bias.
More on S&P 500
- Returns by year+11.5%
- Return drivers+17.7%
- Yearly charts+17.7%
- Trailing returns+13.4%
- YTD return+11.5%
- Return calculator$1,726
- Average return10%?
- Companies & weights500
Sources
- The sector funds' prices: The market prices and dividends of the eleven sector funds (XLK, XLF and the rest), licensed from Twelve Data.
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