SectorsUpdated daily after close · as of 2026-07-21
Sector Performance: All 11 GICS Sector ETFs vs SPY, Rebased
Comparative performance of the Select Sector SPDR ETFs — every line rebased to 0% at the start of the selected window, SPY dashed as the benchmark. The vertical spread between lines is sector rotation made visible. Click legend chips to isolate sectors.
Today's reading
As of market close on July 21, 2026, 7 of the 11 GICS sector ETFs closed higher. Day's leader: XLK +2.89%; laggard: XLP -0.94%. Year to date, XLE leads at +30.84% while XLC trails at -6.53%, against +9.73% for SPY.
Sources, methodology & freshnessLast updated 2026-07-21 · Open ↓Close ↑
Source
Daily closes for the 11 Select Sector SPDR ETFs + SPY (2021–present aligned)
Methodology
Each window rebased to cumulative % change from its first session; table returns from full per-ETF history
Updates
Daily after market close (~1:30 PM PT)Last: 2026-07-21
Maintained & reviewed by Yuriy Matso — methodology shown on the page.
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Comparative chart
Window:
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Sector breadth vs SPY
How many of the 11 sectors are outperforming SPY over the 1Y window — the green band counts beaters, the red band laggards. Broad leadership (most sectors above SPY) is a healthy, participatory tape; a thin green band means a handful of heavyweights are carrying the index. Right now 3 of 11 sectors are beating SPY.
Sectors outperforming SPY Sectors underperforming Half (5.5)
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Returns by horizon
| ETF | Close | 1D | 1W | 1M ▼ | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLE | $58.50 | +0.97% | +2.72% | +8.80% | +6.23% | +22.67% | +30.84% | +36.11% |
| XLV | $160.25 | +0.63% | +1.24% | +7.26% | +8.70% | +2.90% | +3.52% | +21.55% |
| XLF | $56.11 | +0.12% | -0.12% | +4.74% | +6.61% | +3.07% | +2.45% | +6.79% |
| XLRE | $45.20 | -0.07% | +1.62% | +3.06% | +1.25% | +7.08% | +12.02% | +8.03% |
| XLP | $84.06 | -0.94% | +0.77% | +0.91% | +2.03% | +2.37% | +8.21% | +3.92% |
| XLC | $110.03 | -0.69% | -1.27% | +0.53% | -7.34% | -4.46% | -6.53% | +3.62% |
| XLU | $44.92 | -0.04% | -1.69% | +0.36% | -1.81% | +3.53% | +5.22% | +7.26% |
| SPY | $748.28 | +0.83% | -0.47% | +0.21% | +5.58% | +8.19% | +9.73% | +19.23% |
| XLI | $178.66 | +0.30% | -0.99% | -1.24% | +2.74% | +7.05% | +15.18% | +17.96% |
| XLY | $114.87 | +0.23% | -0.89% | -1.95% | -4.17% | -6.08% | -3.80% | +3.40% |
| XLB | $50.10 | +0.14% | -1.07% | -3.30% | -4.08% | +2.92% | +10.47% | +11.06% |
| XLK | $180.78 | +2.89% | -1.55% | -5.57% | +16.96% | +24.15% | +25.57% | +38.58% |
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How Sector Performance Works
- 1Track the 11 GICS sector ETFs plus SPYThe same universe as the Sector Health dashboard: XLK, XLC, XLY, XLF, XLI, XLB, XLE, XLV, XLP, XLU, XLRE — real, liquid ETFs rather than constructed indices — with SPY as the benchmark line.
- 2Rebase every series to a common startFor the selected window (1M to 5Y), each ETF's closes are converted to cumulative % change from the window's first session. Everything starts at 0%, so the lines directly answer "which sector won this window?"
- 3Read rotation from the spreadThe vertical spread between sector lines IS the rotation. Tight bundles mean macro-driven tape (everything moves together); wide spreads mean stock-picker markets with strong sector selection payoffs.
- 4Cross-check horizons in the returns tableThe table shows 1D through 1Y returns side by side, sortable by any column. A sector leading on 1M but lagging on 1Y is an emerging rotation; leading everywhere is an established trend.
Who Uses Sector Performance
Sector Rotators
The core workflow: sort the table by 1M or 3M, compare against YTD, and you have the rotation picture — who's emerging, who's fading — in seconds.
Trend Followers
Relative strength vs SPY is the filter: sectors persistently above the dashed benchmark line are where momentum strategies want exposure.
Macro Traders
Defensive leadership (XLP, XLU, XLV on top) with cyclicals lagging is a regime read in one glance — confirm with the macro panel and credit spreads.
Dip Buyers
The worst 6M sector with an improving 1M column is the classic mean-reversion candidate; check Sector Health to see if its regime is actually turning.
Pro Tips
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Toggle down to 3-4 lines
Twelve lines is a lot of ink. Click legend chips to isolate the sectors you care about — e.g. XLK vs XLE vs SPY tells the growth-vs-commodities story without the noise.
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Use YTD for narrative, 1M for action
YTD is what everyone talks about; 1M is where rotation actually shows up first. The interesting trades live where the two disagree.
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Equal-weight your eyes
SPY is cap-weighted, so XLK's line drags the benchmark with it. A sector beating SPY while XLK lags is stronger than it looks.
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Pair with Sector Health
This page shows relative performance; Sector Health shows trend structure (50d/200d regimes). A sector leading here while still "weak" there is early; leading in both is confirmed.
Common Issues & Solutions
How far back does the chart go?▾
Back to June 2018 on the MAX setting. The aligned window starts where all 12 series share history, and the binding constraint is XLC (Communication Services), the newest GICS sector ETF, created in June 2018 — the chart can't predate the youngest member. The returns table's YTD/1Y columns are computed from each ETF's full history regardless.
Lines jump when I change ranges▾
By design — each window rebases to its own first session at 0%. A sector can be +20% on the 1Y window and -5% on the 1M window simultaneously; that disagreement is the rotation signal.
Why ETFs instead of the official GICS indices?▾
The Select Sector SPDR ETFs are the tradeable expression of the GICS sectors — real prices with real liquidity, and identical tickers to what you'd actually buy or hedge with.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sector rotation?▾
The tendency of market leadership to move between sectors as the economic cycle and rate environment shift — energy and materials leading in inflationary expansions, technology in liquidity-driven phases, staples and utilities when growth slows. This page makes rotation visible by rebasing all 11 GICS sector ETFs to a common start.
Which ETFs are tracked?▾
The eleven Select Sector SPDR funds covering the GICS sectors: XLK (Technology), XLC (Communication Services), XLY (Consumer Discretionary), XLF (Financials), XLI (Industrials), XLB (Materials), XLE (Energy), XLV (Health Care), XLP (Consumer Staples), XLU (Utilities), XLRE (Real Estate) — plus SPY as the benchmark.
What does "rebased to 0%" mean?▾
Each line shows cumulative percent change from the first session of the selected window, so every sector starts at the same point and the chart directly compares total returns over exactly that window — eliminating the price-level differences that make raw ETF prices incomparable.
How do I read sector leadership vs SPY?▾
SPY is the dashed benchmark line. Sectors above it are outperforming the market over the window; below it, underperforming. Because SPY is cap-weighted and tech-heavy, broad sector strength with XLK lagging means the average sector is doing better than the index suggests.
What does the sector breadth chart show?▾
It counts, for each day in the selected window, how many of the 11 GICS sectors are outperforming SPY — i.e. how many lines sit above the dashed SPY benchmark in the comparative chart. The green band is the number beating SPY, the red band the number lagging, and the two always sum to 11. A wide green band means broad, participatory leadership; a thin one means a few heavyweight sectors are carrying the index while most lag — a narrower, more fragile advance.
How often does this update?▾
After every market close, alongside the rest of the daily pipeline. Returns in the table use trading-day lookbacks (1D/1W/1M/3M/6M/1Y) plus calendar YTD.
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Last updated: 2026-07-21