The S&P 500: What a Difference a Year Makes!

Who would have thought on March 9, 2009, when the S&P 500 closed at 676, that we would be looking at a close of 1140 on March 9, 2010? For the one year period through March 8th, the S&P 500 posted a 66.57% gain, according to Select Sector SPDRs' Alps Distributors.

The Financials Select Sector SPDR (XLF), gained 146.76% over the year; the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY), was next, with a 95.25% gain, trailed closely by the Industrials Select Sector SPDR, up 92.0%. Even Utilities, the weakest Sector SPDR (XLU), was up a respectable 29.25%.

Select Sector SPDRs Summary for the week ended February 26:

• The S&P 500 was up 3.10% for the week, and is now up 2.12% year-to-date.
• Assets in Sector SPDRs grew by $1.78 billion for the week, or 5.94%.
• The number of Sector SPDR shares grew by 21.45 million shares for the week, up 1.80%.
• Volume was "light," with 661 million Sector SPDR shares changing hands. The Financials Sector
• SPDR, as usual, captured the lion's share of volume--301,396,000 shares.
• This week, the best-performing Sector SPDR was Materials (XLB), up5.30%. The Healthcare Sector SPDR (XLV), was the laggard this week, but was still up 1.97%.

To see Wealth Manager's exclusive graphs of Sector SPDR net flows moving into and out of all of the Select Sector SPDRs, click here.

Source: ALPS Distributors, distributors for the Select Sector SPDR Trust. For more information about Select Sector SPDRs, please go to www.sectorspdr.com.

Comments? Please send them to kmcbride@wealthmanagerweb.com. Kate McBride is editor in chief of Wealth Manager and a member of The Committee for the Fiduciary Standard.