For those needing a more real world examination, XLB and VAW returned an average of 1.7% from October 31 through November 30, 2012, roughly triple what the S&P 500 offered over the same time. In 2011, XLB and VAW were only modestly higher, but the S&P 500 traded lower. For the same period in 2010, IYM jumped 2.7% while the S&P 500 was flat.
Materials Select Sector SPDR
ETF Trends editorial team contributed to this post.