Are Basic Materials Stocks Lagging Harmony Gold (HMY) This Year?

Group 1 - Harmony Gold (HMY) is a notable stock in the Basic Materials sector, which consists of 235 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of 11 [2] - The Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and revisions, with Harmony Gold currently rated as 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook [3] - Year-to-date, Harmony Gold has returned 76.3%, significantly outperforming the Basic Materials sector average return of -0.8% [4] Group 2 - New Gold (NGD) is another stock in the Basic Materials sector that has performed well, with a year-to-date return of 88.4% [4] - The Mining - Gold industry, which includes Harmony Gold, has an average gain of 25.5% this year, positioning HMY favorably within its industry [5] - Both Harmony Gold and New Gold are expected to continue their strong performance in the Basic Materials sector [6]