10 best-performing stocks of 2011
These S&P 500 companies are bucking bearish trends in the market to post substantial gains. Here's how they're doing it.
Against the grain
The year's top performers on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) form an eclectic group. But the two biggest winners are oil and gas companies, with gains in excess of 80% as of Dec. 20.
The best-performing companies are worth a look because they've put up solid returns while swimming against a powerful current. With just a few trading days left in 2011, 288 of the S&P 500 companies were in negative territory for the year to date.
Volatility can be an investor's friend, but the roller coaster that 2011 has been has driven some to seek safer havens. For example, for four days in August, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) alternated between gains and losses of more than 400 points, the longest such streak ever. read more
These S&P 500 companies are bucking bearish trends in the market to post substantial gains. Here's how they're doing it.
Against the grain
The year's top performers on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) form an eclectic group. But the two biggest winners are oil and gas companies, with gains in excess of 80% as of Dec. 20.
The best-performing companies are worth a look because they've put up solid returns while swimming against a powerful current. With just a few trading days left in 2011, 288 of the S&P 500 companies were in negative territory for the year to date.
Volatility can be an investor's friend, but the roller coaster that 2011 has been has driven some to seek safer havens. For example, for four days in August, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) alternated between gains and losses of more than 400 points, the longest such streak ever. read more
