Basic Materials Stocks

The materials sector covers the companies that produce the basic inputs the rest of the economy uses: metals and mining, chemicals, building materials, and packaging. Because their products are commodities, results track commodity prices and global demand closely, which makes the sector cyclical and sensitive to the economy, currencies, and supply conditions. Catalysts include commodity-price swings, global growth data (especially construction and manufacturing), earnings, and input costs like energy. The sector can move sharply on factors far outside any single company.

Below are the most active Basic Materials names by trading volume. Select any ticker for its chart, market data, and the community discussion.