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Basic Materials
Companies that manufacture chemicals, building materials, and paper products. This sector also includes companies engaged in commodities exploration and processing. Companies in this sector include ArcelorMittal, BHP Billiton, and Rio Tinto.
Market Cap
1.977T
Market Weight
2.58%
Industries
14
Companies
278
Basic Materials S&P 500 ^GSPC
Chart Range Bar
Loading chart for Basic Materials

Day Return

Sector
1.18%
S&P 500
0.07%

YTD Return

Sector
28.45%
S&P 500
15.41%

1-Year Return

Sector
14.99%
S&P 500
13.01%

3-Year Return

Sector
33.04%
S&P 500
67.24%

5-Year Return

Sector
56.38%
S&P 500
85.81%

Note: Sector performance is calculated based on the previous closing price of all sector constituents

Industries in This Sector

Select an Industry for a Visual Breakdown

IndustryMarket WeightYTD Return
All Industries
100.00%
28.45%
Specialty Chemicals
30.32%
-7.55%
Gold
28.27%
136.67%
Building Materials
10.86%
31.31%
Copper
9.31%
37.62%
Steel
6.49%
27.46%
Agricultural Inputs
5.40%
4.20%
Other Industrial Metals & Mining
3.12%
70.53%
Chemicals
1.73%
-35.45%
Other Precious Metals & Mining
1.43%
130.88%
Lumber & Wood Production
1.00%
-4.94%
Aluminum
0.88%
24.06%
Silver
0.65%
244.86%
Coking Coal
0.40%
-16.15%
Paper & Paper Products
0.14%
-42.56%

Note: Percentage % data on heatmap indicates Day Return

All Industries

Specialty Chemicals
-0.73%
Gold
-2.86%
Building Materials
-0.47%
Copper
-0.69%
Steel
0.09%
Agricultural Inputs
-1.63%
Other Industrial Metals & Mining
2.18%
Chemicals
-0.76%
Other Precious Metals & Mining
2.05%
Lumber & Wood Production
-1.25%
Aluminum
0.21%
Silver
-1.99%
Coking Coal
1.80%
Paper & Paper Products
-1.57%

<= -3

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Largest Companies in This Sector

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Table View
Heatmap View
Name
Last Price
1Y Target Est.
Market Weight
Market Cap
Day Change %
YTD Return
Avg. Analyst Rating
406.37 505.83 13.49% 190.551B -0.19% -2.94%
Buy
134.15 118.29 7.78% 109.882B -0.45% +51.22%
Hold
89.47 104.55 6.96% 98.278B -2.57% +140.38%
Buy
336.37 385.81 5.94% 83.868B -1.50% -1.05%
Buy
118.67 134.79 5.62% 79.442B -0.84% +28.27%
Buy
270.70 291.75 5.44% 76.779B -0.79% +15.53%
Buy
42.70 47.97 4.34% 61.314B -0.86% +12.13%
Buy
256.23 308.86 4.04% 57.034B -1.77% -11.66%
Buy
65.38 77.71 3.14% 44.4B -1.74% +14.78%
Buy
82.49 90.57 2.95% 41.648B -3.29% +257.41%
Buy

Investing in the Basic Materials Sector

Start Investing in the Basic Materials Sector Through These ETFs and Mutual Funds

ETF Opportunities

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Name
Last Price
Net Assets
Expense Ratio
YTD Return
87.99 5.526B 0.08% +4.58%
200.34 3.876B 0.09% +6.65%
96.32 2.937B 0.35% +69.73%
148.04 498.619M 0.38% +13.94%
51.37 407.02M 0.08% +6.60%

Mutual Fund Opportunities

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Name
Last Price
Net Assets
Expense Ratio
YTD Return
103.19 3.876B 0.09% +7.82%
90.88 680.33M 0.72% +8.37%
85.31 680.33M 0.72% +7.36%
90.22 680.33M 0.72% +8.10%
88.73 680.33M 0.72% +7.85%

Basic Materials Research

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Discover the Latest Analyst and Technical Research for This Sector

  • Analyst Report: PPG Industries, Inc.

    PPG Industries is a diversified coatings producer and the No. 2 global producer of paints and coatings. PPG is a No. 1 or No. 2 producer in nearly every major end market, including auto OEM, aerospace, and auto refinishing. PPG's coatings sales are split relatively evenly among North America, Western Europe, and emerging markets. Founded in 1883, PPG is based in Pittsburgh. They have approximately 46,000 employees and operate in nearly 70 countries. PPG shares are a component of the S&P 500 index.

    Rating
    Price Target
     
  • Market Digest: CNP, HPQ, PPG, QSR

    Having moved to the sidelines from mid-October until late November, insiders avoided the volatile and unprofitable month of November 2025 (S&P 500 off 0.6%, Nasdaq off 1.9%, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.02%, and Russell 2000 off 0.3%). But last week, we reported that insider-sentiment data from Vickers Stock Research showed a possible pivot, this as the one-week data calmed considerably. This week brings more of the same. With a sell/buy ratio from Vickers bullish at 2.00 or lower, all of the major one-week ratios from Vickers this week sport a three-handle. But that's much better than readings over the past month that were in the high-single digits and, at times, in double-digits. As well, the latest improvement in sentiment has started to have a beneficial impact on Vickers' longer-term (eight-week) ratios. Still, with the improved eight-week readings still at 3.83 (NYSE), 4.69 (Nasdaq), and 4.29 (all exchanges), insiders are not yet buying aggressively. Insider buying outpaced insider selling in three sectors over the past week. In both Consumer Staples and Real Estate, the sector sell/buy ratio came in at 0.6, while in Energy the ratio was 0.8. While each of these instances signal a greater number of purchases than sales during the week, the volume of transactions in these three sectors lagged the average for all sectors. Conversely, insider sentiment was the weakest in Information Technology, which saw a sell/buy ratio of 13.1 on meaningful transaction volume. Other notable sectors included Healthcare, with a sell/buy ratio of 4.1 on reasonable volume and Communications Services, with a sell/buy ratio of 4.3 on light volume. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at DoorDash Inc. (NGS: DASH) and Natera Inc. (NGS: NTRA).

     
  • Analyst Report: Anglo American plc

    Previously one of the more diversified major miners, in May 2024 Anglo American announced that it will restructure to focus on copper, iron ore, and crop nutrients, while selling or spinning off its other businesses. It sold out of platinum group metals in September 2025, and will likely sell or demerge and spin off its majority-owned De Beers diamonds business, in most years the world's largest supplier and marketer of rough gem diamonds by value. It has agreed to sell its metallurgical coal mines, though this sale is now in doubt, with Peabody trying to get out of the deal. Anglo also plans to move back into the crop nutrients business via its Woodsmith polyhalite project in the UK. In September 2025, it also agreed to merge with Teck.

    Rating
    Price Target
     
  • Analyst Report: Teck Resources Limited

    Teck is a base metals miner with copper and zinc operations in Canada, the United States, Chile, and Peru. After selling its metallurgical coal business, copper is now its major commodity by EBITDA contribution, followed by zinc. Teck is a top-three zinc miner. Its major new copper mine in Chile at the majority-owned Quebrada Blanca 2, in partnership with Sumitomo, will drive an increase in Teck’s attributable copper production by roughly 75%. Along with a number of additional copper growth options, Teck’s strategy is to rebalance its portfolio to low-carbon metals such as copper. It sold its oil sands business in early 2023 and its coal business in mid-2024. In September 2025, it agreed to merge with Anglo American.

    Rating
    Price Target
     

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