Value in Construction and Materials stocks fell 9.4 percent in April from the previous month.
The strongest performing Construction and Materials company in Virginia was Lightbridge Corp. (LTBR:NAQ), dropping 2.8 percent to sell at $6.99.
Smith-Midland Corp. (SMID:NAQ) fared the worst among Virginia companies, suffering an 85.9 percent drop to $16.87.
The Finance and Credit Services industry was the month’s best-performing industry on the market. The market is divided into 45 different industries.
Telecommunications Service Providers was the worst-performing industry.
Healthcare and technology stocks are viewed as the safest bets for long-term gains.
Besty Kuekcer with Benzinga.com said healthcare-related stocks, such as hospital conglomerates and insurance companies, have weathered numerous economic crises and still make a profit, suggesting that they are generally a stable investment.
While technology stocks can be more risky, given the boom-bust nature of new tech companies, Kuecker recommended a diverse portfolio of tech companies to strike it big when companies succeed or sell to other larger companies.
For short-term investments, Kuecker recommended “consumer discretionary” stocks, which are sensitive to economic changes but can rise greatly on the back of a strong economy.
Nothing in this article is to be assumed as financial advice.
| Industry | Percentage Change | Highest Positive Change | Largest Negative Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Credit Services | 94.9% | 378.3% | -95% |
| Tobacco | 4.2% | 117.7% | -98.5% |
| Beverages | 2.6% | 2,905.2% | -96.2% |
| Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 2.4% | 2,369.4% | -65.1% |
| Industrial Materials | 1.6% | 803.7% | -63.3% |
| Food Producers | 0.4% | 285.9% | -100% |
| Oil, Gas and Coal | -0.4% | 1,397.1% | -95.5% |
| Open End and Miscellaneous Investment Vehicles | -0.5% | 72,315.9% | -100% |
| Waste and Disposal Services | -2.2% | 44.2% | -97.8% |
| Banks | -3.3% | 424,605% | -99.8% |
| Chemicals | -3.6% | 562.4% | -99% |
| General Industrials | -3.9% | 263.2% | -68.8% |
| Household Goods and Home Construction | -4.3% | 1,446.6% | -94.8% |
| Non-life Insurance | -4.7% | 278.3% | -93.2% |
| Retailers | -4.7% | 3,917.8% | -97.3% |
| Telecommunications Equipment | -5.3% | 8,940.4% | -82.1% |
| Travel and Leisure | -5.3% | 288.5% | -98.5% |
| Gas, Water and Multi-utilities | -5.4% | 611.7% | -79.8% |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | -5.5% | 1,077.1% | -66% |
| Electricity | -5.9% | 220.4% | -80.3% |
| Closed End Investments | -6% | 889.9% | -97.6% |
| Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts | -6.5% | 4,201.5% | -70.7% |
| Real Estate Investment and Services | -6.9% | 11,471.4% | -98% |
| Consumer Services | -7.4% | 348.3% | -96.1% |
| Aerospace and Defense | -7.4% | 1,796.1% | -97.7% |
| Health Care Providers | -7.5% | 401.2% | -99% |
| Electronic and Electrical Equipment | -7.5% | 2,767.4% | -90.5% |
| Industrial Metals and Mining | -7.6% | 1,877.6% | -98.2% |
| Industrial Support Services | -7.8% | 615.8% | -99.2% |
| Personal Goods | -8.8% | 126.1% | -80.4% |
| Construction and Materials | -9.4% | 424.4% | -99.8% |
| Industrial Engineering | -10.3% | 878.9% | -96.7% |
| Life Insurance | -10.4% | 16,583.6% | -93.6% |
| Investment Banking and Brokerage Services | -11.5% | 134,812.1% | -94% |
| Precious Metals and Mining | -11.6% | 7,390.7% | -97% |
| Automobiles and Parts | -12% | 405.5% | -96.8% |
| Leisure Goods | -12.5% | 2,739.4% | -97.9% |
| Technology Hardware and Equipment | -12.9% | 175.9% | -92.6% |
| Industrial Transportation | -13.1% | 343.9% | -70.7% |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology | -13.6% | 56,354.6% | -99.8% |
| Medical Equipment and Services | -13.8% | 406.8% | -99.9% |
| Software and Computer Services | -14% | 85,905.1% | -99.3% |
| Media | -16.4% | 50,275.2% | -98.1% |
| Alternative Energy | -17% | 3,643.6% | -81.1% |
| Telecommunications Service Providers | -22.1% | 677.7% | -86.4% |
