Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the floor at the NYSE in New York
- The S&P 500 index is on track to post its biggest yearly gain in two decades, jumping 29% in 2019 as the year brings major gains for nearly all investments.
- The index closed at a record high on Thursday, driven higher by Amazon's "record-breaking" holiday sales and Apple stock's three-day winning streak.
- The S&P 500's tech stocks are the biggest winners of the year. Of the 11 best performers in the index, seven are members of its information technology sector.
- Here are the 11 best performing S&P 500 stocks of 2019, ranked in ascending order.
- Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
The S&P 500 is on track to post its biggest yearly gain in two decades, soaring 29% as the December rally caps a winning year for nearly all investments.
The index closed at a new record on Thursday, fueled by Amazon's "record-breaking" holiday sales and rising tech stocks. Stocks have rallied through the end of the year as the "phase-one" US-China trade deal and greater Brexit clarity eliminated key sources of market uncertainty.
The S&P 500's information technology group vastly outperformed other sectors over the last 12 months and is on pace for its biggest yearly gain since 2009. Apple's 80% gain through 2019 and numerous semiconductor stocks' outperformance has driven the 70-company group to a 48% year-to-date windfall. Of the 11 best performers in the S&P 500, seven are members of the information technology sector.
Here are the 11 best performing S&P 500 stocks in 2019, ranked in ascending order. Data is as of 12:00 p.m. December 27.