Nine of the 10 sectors in the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index seem on track to complete 2012 in positive territory. Shares of financial companies including banks and insurers were set to mark the largest rally, gaining 26% from the start of the year through Dec. 21.
The financial sector was followed by consumer-discretionary stocks, which include retailers, cable and entertainment companies and restaurant chains. Moreover, homebuilders, whose shares doubled this year along with signs of revival in the housing market; shares of PulteGroup Inc. nearly tripled in 2012, while Lennar Corp. nearly doubled are also included in the group.[article_detail_ad_1]
Today, the United Auto Workers union has informed members employed at Ford Motor Co., which is more profitable than GM in North America, that the 2012 payouts could exceed $8,000, based on a pay formula agreed in the UAW contract.
A quick look on Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)’s price history reveals beta used to measure the volatility or systematic risk in comparison to the market as a whole was 1.53 and the percentage change in the price over the past52 weeks remained at +14.71%. The price range in those 52 weeks had a bestscore of $13.05 on Jan 26, 2012 while lowest level during that period was $8.82 on Aug 02, 2012.
Another S&P 500 company, Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) moved up135.04% in this year and its price history showed most recently beta was at 0.93. Overall during the last 12 months, the percentage change in the price was 137.07%, hitting the highest of $6.04 on Oct 11, 2012 while lowest level in that period was $2.10 on Jan 31, 2012.
Sprint Wireless is coming under fire this week after a salesperson purportedly refused to sell an Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone to a customer. The report that comes from Tom’s Hardware reveals that the employee told the customer that his fingers were too fat to use the iPhone’s touch display properly.
American International Group, Inc.(NYSE:AIG)’s shares rallied51.72% so far in 2012. The stock most recently had a beta value at 1.99 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained at 47.71%. The price range in that 1-year period had a best hit of $37.67 on Oct 18, 2012 while lowest level in the same period was $22.91 on Dec 28, 2011.
So far, the share price of Chesapeake Energy Corporation(NYSE:CHK) fell -1.73% in this year and stock’s price history revealed that beta was maintained at 1.16 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained as -27.64%.