Value in Construction and Materials stocks rose seven percent in the week ending May 7 from the previous week.
The strongest performing Construction and Materials company in California was Willdan Group Inc. (WLDN:NMQ), sitting 254.5 percent higher to sell at $26.88.
Simpson Manufacturing Co. Inc. (SSD:NYQ) fared the worst among California companies, suffering a 10.6 percent drop to $105.34.
Among Watsonville companies, Granite Construction Inc. (GVA:NYQ) saw the highest rise in value of 9.3 percent in the week ending May 7.
The Construction and Materials industry was the week’s best-performing industry on the market. The market is divided into 45 different industries.
Finance and Credit Services was the worst-performing industry.
Healthcare and technology stocks are viewed as the safest bets for long-term gains.
Besty Kuekcer with Benzinga.com said healthcare-related stocks, such as hospital conglomerates and insurance companies, have weathered numerous economic crises and still make a profit, suggesting that they are generally a stable investment.
While technology stocks can be more risky, given the boom-bust nature of new tech companies, Kuecker recommended a diverse portfolio of tech companies to strike it big when companies succeed or sell to other larger companies.
For short-term investments, Kuecker recommended “consumer discretionary” stocks, which are sensitive to economic changes but can rise greatly on the back of a strong economy.
Nothing in this article is to be assumed as financial advice.
| Industry | Percentage Change | Highest Positive Change | Largest Negative Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and Materials | 7% | 77,822.1% | -86.3% |
| Oil, Gas and Coal | 6% | 1,135.7% | -87.8% |
| Leisure Goods | 3.7% | 850.5% | -99.3% |
| Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts | 3.5% | 301.7% | -94.9% |
| Life Insurance | 2.9% | 439.3% | -67.9% |
| Chemicals | 2.6% | 390.6% | -95% |
| Electronic and Electrical Equipment | 2.2% | 683.3% | -94.9% |
| Alternative Energy | 2.1% | 490.2% | -68.1% |
| Electricity | 1.4% | 216.3% | -75.8% |
| Industrial Transportation | 1.4% | 328.2% | -99% |
| Technology Hardware and Equipment | 1.3% | 381.7% | -82.6% |
| Health Care Providers | 1% | 1,073.5% | -83.3% |
| General Industrials | 0.8% | 178.2% | -74.2% |
| Industrial Engineering | 0.8% | 4,443.1% | -76.4% |
| Retailers | 0.6% | 975.8% | -94.9% |
| Aerospace and Defense | 0.5% | 659.6% | -81.4% |
| Non-life Insurance | 0.3% | 1,286% | -72.2% |
| Gas, Water and Multi-utilities | 0.3% | 270.7% | -86.4% |
| Banks | -0.2% | 109,141.4% | -99.1% |
| Automobiles and Parts | -0.2% | 1,404% | -89.1% |
| Open End and Miscellaneous Investment Vehicles | -0.2% | 5,587,375.1% | -99.9% |
| Industrial Materials | -0.8% | 2,072.8% | -68.2% |
| Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | -1% | 175.7% | -84.3% |
| Closed End Investments | -1% | 1,396.7% | -99.5% |
| Household Goods and Home Construction | -1% | 1,880.8% | -90.3% |
| Tobacco | -1.6% | 325.9% | -62.7% |
| Investment Banking and Brokerage Services | -2% | 1,738.8% | -93.1% |
| Consumer Services | -2.3% | 981.8% | -99.4% |
| Telecommunications Service Providers | -2.4% | 96,367.2% | -83.5% |
| Waste and Disposal Services | -2.5% | 445.6% | -87.1% |
| Media | -2.6% | 528.9% | -86.9% |
| Industrial Metals and Mining | -2.6% | 326.2% | -92.4% |
| Travel and Leisure | -2.7% | 1,497.1% | -75.4% |
| Medical Equipment and Services | -3% | 5,883.3% | -74.3% |
| Beverages | -3.1% | 238.5% | -96.3% |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | -3.4% | 316.3% | -81.9% |
| Industrial Support Services | -3.5% | 1,600.1% | -91.1% |
| Real Estate Investment and Services | -3.7% | 2,457.8% | -91% |
| Software and Computer Services | -3.8% | 1,110.8% | -99.9% |
| Telecommunications Equipment | -4.1% | 1,264.1% | -86.3% |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology | -4.3% | 21,014.8% | -96.8% |
| Food Producers | -6.5% | 1,845,638.3% | -72.6% |
| Personal Goods | -6.6% | 597.3% | -83.4% |
| Precious Metals and Mining | -7.5% | 1,245.7% | -68.9% |
| Finance and Credit Services | -55.7% | 262.2% | -54.9% |
