The stock market has performed very well in 2013, with the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.02%) up more than 25% since the beginning of the year. But even more remarkable, as the Associated Press recently observed, is that all 10 sectors of the S&P are up so far this year, and if they can rise by 10% or more, it'd be the first time that's happened since 1995.
In the following video, Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool's director of investment planning, looks at this phenomenon and why the market has been so strong. Dan looks at strength in the industrial sector, with Delta Air Lines (DAL -2.62%) flying high on big demand for travel and sizable ancillary-fee revenue, while Ford (F 0.08%) has catered to car buyers releasing their pent-up demand for new vehicles. At the same time, Dan observes, consumer stocks have done well because of their defensive nature. Still, Dan identifies some laggards, including utility FirstEnergy (FE 0.47%) and telecom CenturyLink (LUMN -5.15%), as potentially holding back the market from this noteworthy milestone.
