The S&P 500 is one of the most visited stock indices in the world and contains hundreds of top US companies. The index has a proven track record of returns – averaging around 10% per annum over the long term. Investors regularly monitor the index and the top stocks it contains because it is a guide to the market and the economy as a whole.
A list of the best performing stocks doesn’t tell you which stocks will perform well in the future, but many of the top stocks offer solid returns year after year. For example, Amazon and Apple seem to have made decent profits, and that seems like forever. So by tracking the best stocks, you can see which competitors will outperform in the years ahead.
Here are the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 so far.
Best S&P 500 stocks as of July 2022
| Company and ticker symbol | Performance year to date (percent) |
|---|---|
| Occidental Petroleum (OXY) | 103.1% |
| Hess (HES) | 43.1% |
| Valero Energy (VLO) | 41.5% |
| ExxonMobil (XOM) | 40.0% |
| Halliburton (HAL) | 37.1% |
| Marathon Oil (MRO) | 36.9% |
| Coterra Energy (CTRA) | 35.7% |
| McKesson (MCK) | 31.2% |
| APA (APA) | 29.8% |
| Marathon Petroleum (MPC) | 28.5% |
Data as of June 30, 2022
Of course, even big stocks don’t always perform well, so it’s useful to keep an eye on some underperforming stocks. That’s because stocks that have underperformed this year could be the top performers next year, and if you find a stock that has performed well in the past, it could be the time to buy the dip.
Here are the worst-performing S&P 500 stocks so far this year.
S&P 500 stocks are the worst performers in July 2022
| Company and ticker symbol | Performance year to date (percent) |
|---|---|
| Netflix (NFLX) | -71.0% |
| Etsy (ETSY) | -66.6% |
| Align Technology (ALGN) | -64.0% |
| PayPal (PYPL) | -63.0% |
| Bath & Body Works (BBWI) | -61.4% |
Data as of June 30, 2022
Common stock
That’s how some of the most commonly held stocks in the S&P 500 are doing.
| Company and ticker symbol | Performance year to date (percent) |
|---|---|
| Apple (AAPL) | -23.0% |
| Microsoft (MSFT) | -23.6% |
| Alphabet (GOOGL) | -24.8% |
| Amazon (AMZN) | -36.3% |
| Tesla (TSLA) | -36.3% |
Data as of June 30, 2022
Should you invest in the hottest stocks?
It’s hard to invest in individual stocks. You need to research and analyze businesses and industries and understand what drives it all. That’s great for someone who has the time, ability and desire to succeed here.
But what if you don’t want to do that much work, but want to enjoy the attractive returns that stocks offer? Well, any investor can participate, even with little knowledge. Investors of any skill level can easily buy funds based on the S&P 500. The fund owns shares of every company in the index, which means you own a fraction of hundreds of shares.
This setup also means that your performance tends to track the performance of the index over time, even if you don’t research and analyze the various stocks it contains, tracking about 10% per year over a long period of time . Buying an index fund like this gives you a weighted average of all stocks that, over time, outperforms most investors, even professionals.
There are two main varieties of index funds: exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds. Each has some advantages and disadvantages. But either way, you have the option of tracking an index, and the cost is usually relatively low, usually just a few dollars per $10,000 invested per year.
However, if you want to reap the returns of an index, it is important that you maintain the index fund through the ups and downs and give the investment time to ride out the volatility. Otherwise, you are likely to sell low and buy high as the index fluctuates.
底線
By following the hottest stocks, you can see what the market likes, but investing in these stocks requires researching the business and understanding where the opportunities lie. However, a more lucrative route might be to sift through underperforming companies and find ones that will eventually come back into fashion, allowing you to buy low and sell high.
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