AlgovestIQ · Sector Intelligence
Materials Sector Performance Today
Materials sector price performance from XLB, with the AIQ breadth reading that shows how broadly covered materials stocks are participating in the move.
AIQ participation
Narrowing leadershipMaterials is beating the S&P 500 while fewer than half of its stocks improve — the move is being carried by a shrinking group. It sits at +1.10 percentage points versus the S&P 500 with 24% of its covered stocks improving over the past week. This describes the current relationship between price and participation; it is not a forecast.
Materials stocks by AIQ signal
Highest AIQ Edge Scores
Strongest current evidence in the sector.
| Symbol | Company | AIQ Edge (1–10) |
|---|---|---|
| CF | CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 10 |
| PPG | PPG Industries, Inc. | 10 |
| SILV | SilverCrest Metals Inc. | 10 |
| KGC | Kinross Gold Corporation | 9 |
| NGD | New Gold Inc. | 9 |
| NUE | Nucor Corporation | 9 |
| BTG | B2Gold Corp. | 9 |
| MAS | Masco Corporation | 9 |
| NEM | Newmont Corporation | 9 |
| STLD | Steel Dynamics, Inc. | 9 |
Improving fastest
Largest AIQ gains over the past 7 days.
| Symbol | Company | AIQ Score 7d (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| HUN | Huntsman Corporation | +9 |
| AMRZ | Amrize Ltd | +7 |
| BLDR | Builders FirstSource, Inc. | +4 |
| EMN | Eastman Chemical Company | +4 |
| TROX | Tronox Holdings plc | +3 |
| DD | DuPont de Nemours, Inc. | +3 |
| LAC | Lithium Americas Corp. | +2 |
| BHP | BHP Group Limited | +2 |
| DOW | Dow Inc. | +2 |
| ALB | Albemarle Corporation | +2 |
Weakening fastest
Largest AIQ declines over the past 7 days.
| Symbol | Company | AIQ Score 7d (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| GGB | Gerdau S.A. | -12 |
| KALU | Kaiser Aluminum Corporation | -12 |
| SHW | The Sherwin-Williams Company | -11 |
| TX | Ternium S.A. | -9 |
| CRS | Carpenter Technology Corporation | -9 |
| FNV | Franco-Nevada Corporation | -4 |
| SOLS | Solstice Advanced Materials Inc. | -4 |
| FCX | Freeport-McMoRan Inc. | -4 |
| CTVA | Corteva, Inc. | -3 |
| WPM | Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. | -3 |
Compare the sector's two strongest names side by side: CF vs PPG, or open any symbol above for its full technicals and fundamentals.
Methodology
Materials sector performance is represented by XLB, the Select Sector SPDR fund, and reflects price return, not total return — dividends are excluded. The fund holds S&P 500 constituents, so it describes large-cap materials exposure rather than every listed company in the sector.
AIQ breadth is the share of covered materials stocks with an AIQ Edge Score of 7 or higher on the 1–10 scale — a level reading. Improving is the share whose underlying AIQ Score rose over the past seven days — a change reading. The AIQ Score runs 0–100 with 50 neutral, so the two figures are related but sit on different scales and should not be read as one number. Funds are excluded from both, so an ETF's holdings are never counted twice. The state label is derived from the benchmark-relative return and the improving share alone, using the same rule as the sector hub.
Data as of 2026-10-28, market close.
Materials sector — frequently asked questions
How is the materials sector performing today?
Materials is +14.36% over the year to date, measured by XLB, the Select Sector SPDR fund for the sector. The full return set is +0.15% over one day, +1.05% over one week, +6.49% over one month, +0.43% over three months and +14.36% year to date. These are price returns and exclude dividends.
Which ETF tracks the materials sector?
XLB, the Select Sector SPDR fund, is used on this page as the materials sector benchmark. It holds the S&P 500 constituents assigned to the sector, weighted by market capitalisation, so it represents large-cap sector exposure rather than every listed company in the sector.
How many materials stocks are participating?
35% of covered materials stocks currently carry an AIQ Edge Score of 7 or higher on the 1 to 10 scale, and 24% saw their underlying 0 to 100 AIQ Score rise over the past seven days. The first is a level reading of how much of the sector is in constructive shape; the second is a change reading, so the two sit on different scales. Funds are excluded from both so their holdings are not counted twice.
What does "Narrowing leadership" mean?
Materials is beating the S&P 500 while fewer than half of its stocks improve — the move is being carried by a shrinking group. It sits at +1.10 percentage points versus the S&P 500 with 24% of its covered stocks improving over the past week. This describes the current relationship between price and participation; it is not a forecast.