Midday Briefing: What's Weak and Strong Among Stocks

Here's a quick look at the 40 stocks in my basket. The price changes appear in red if the stocks are down from their opening price; green if they're up from their open. This gives a good idea for how stocks are trading during the day session, apart from today's opening downside gap.

All five Consumer Staples stocks are up from their open; four of the five Health Care stocks are up as well. These are both defensive sectors, suggesting that bearish sentiment continues to impact the market.

Conversely, all five Energy stocks are down from their open, as are four of the Materials and four of the Industrial issues. Those are economically-sensitive sectors, indicating concerns over economic growth (particularly among emerging markets).

Observing patterns among strength and weakness in stocks and sectors provides some insight into the themes that are impacting the day's trade.
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