Top Stock Gainers Today, 5/19/26

The S&P 500 (SPX) closed in the red on Tuesday as rising inflation expectations fed into higher long-term yields.

Let’s break down the sectors behind the performance.

Today’s Top-Performing Sector 

Healthcare was the top-performing sector on Tuesday, driven by a rotation into defensive stocks as the 30-year Treasury yield rose to a 19-year high of 5.17%. Healthcare stocks are less sensitive to higher yields because their earnings are relatively stable and less dependent on future growth.

Several stocks led the sector’s gains, including:

• Becton Dickinson and Company (BDX)
• Baxter International (BAX)
• Eli Lilly (LLY)
• DexCom (DXCM)
• Bio-Techne (TECH)

Today’s Worst-Performing Sector 

Meanwhile, the materials sector faced the largest drawdown as declining gold (XAUUSD) and silver (XAGUSD) prices weighed on mining stocks. Furthermore, a stronger dollar made commodities less attractive for overseas buyers, contributing to further weakness across the sector.

Notable materials stocks trading lower include:

• Newmont Mining (NEM)
• CRH (CRH)
• DuPont de Nemours (DD)
• Martin Marietta Materials (MLM)
• Albemarle (ALB)