The markets behaved unexpectedly last year. AndThe U.S. stock market had a good year despite competition from high interest rates, with the S&P posting a 24% gain.
The stock market’s strength was driven primarily by the technology sector, where the rise of artificial intelligence led to a 239% increase in shares of the processor manufacturer Nvidia. The communications services sector also had a stellar year, with Meta posting a 194% increase. Travel-related services, following the pandemic, were also among the winners, with cruise line Royal Caribbean posting a 162% return.
The losers? Utility companies, stocks in the so-called defensive consumer sector, and vaccine manufacturers. This infographic from Visualcapitalist summarizes the market’s performance.