IMGELD (Date: Aug 16, 2026 )
Leaders today are Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment, Health Care Providers & Services and Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components, while Wireless Telecommunication Services, Electric Utilities and Media sit at the bottom of the rankings.
Executive Summary
Strength in the US market is concentrated in semiconductors, health care, industrials and select capital-intensive cyclicals, reflecting ongoing AI, infrastructure and data centre buildouts. Financials and insurance remain resilient, supported by deregulation headlines and active capital markets. Weakness is clearest in wireless telecom, traditional media and utilities, where regulatory uncertainty, new competitive threats and limited growth dampen sentiment.
Top 5 Strongest Industries
(Long bias)
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment
Final Score: 92.59
Before: #1 → Now: #1
Why they are strong: US chipmakers continue to benefit from intense AI and data-center demand, with global capital flows and listing activity underscoring strong investor interest in semiconductor and related biotech technology ecosystems.
Key Players: NVIDIA, Intel, Advanced Micro DevicesHealth Care Providers & Services
Final Score: 89.55
Before: #4 → Now: #2
Why they are strong: Investor positioning and hedge fund flows have turned more constructive on US health care, with rising allocations into health care names as a key defensive and growth sector.
Key Players: UnitedHealth Group, Elevance Health, HCA HealthcareElectronic Equipment, Instruments & Components
Final Score: 88.05
Before: #3 → Now: #3
Why they are strong: Firms supplying electronic components are leveraged to rising US power and data-center infrastructure investment, as utilities scramble to secure equipment to meet surging demand from AI and cloud buildouts.
Key Players: Texas Instruments, TE Connectivity, Keysight TechnologiesMachinery
Final Score: 84.13
Before: #5 → Now: #4
Why they are strong: US machinery makers are benefiting from a wave of utility and data center investment, as power companies rush to procure grid and power-equipment hardware to handle booming electricity demand.
Key Players: Caterpillar, Deere, EatonHealth Care Equipment & Supplies
Final Score: 81.24
Before: #6 → Now: #5
Why they are strong: Hedge fund positioning in US health care has climbed toward a five-year high, signaling renewed optimism around health care equipment and related stocks.
Key Players: Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Becton Dickinson
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Bottom 5 Weakest Industries
(Short bias)
Media
Final Score: 39.53
Before: #46 → Now: #54
Why they are weak: Traditional and digital media face a challenging revenue backdrop, highlighted by experiments such as Trump Media’s plan to charge for faster access to presidential posts, which underscores pressure to monetize fragmented audiences.
Key Players: The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Global, FoxElectric Utilities
Final Score: 26.85
Before: #55 → Now: #55
Why they are weak: While US power companies are large and systemically important, they face heavy capital needs and operational strain as they work to upgrade grids and serve surging data center loads, limiting near-term appeal.
Key Players: NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, Southern CompanyWireless Telecommunication Services
Final Score: 40.75
Before: #47 → Now: #56
Why they are weak: The US wireless market is confronting potential disruption from emerging satellite-based mobile offerings such as SpaceX’s ambitions, which has raised analyst concerns about long-term competitive pressure on incumbents.
Key Players: Verizon Communications, AT&T, T-Mobile USTobacco
Final Score: 42.07
Before: #52 → Now: #57
Why they are weak: Despite recent regulatory wins for major US tobacco firms, the sector’s outperformance follows policy-driven relief rather than structural growth, leaving fundamentals and long-term volumes in question.
Key Players: Altria Group, Philip Morris International, British American TobaccoHotels, Restaurants & Leisure
Final Score: 36.55
Before: #54 → Now: #58
Why they are weak: Higher prices for flights and hotels are bifurcating US travel demand into “haves and have-nots,” which clouds visibility for many leisure and hospitality operators.
Key Players: Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, McDonald’s
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Additional Readings
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: US biotech and related tech firms tap Asian markets as global investor demand stays strong (CNBC, 2026-07-21)
Wall Street can wait: Why one U.S. biotech firm is listing in Hong Kong firstHealth Care Providers & Services: Hedge funds increase exposure to US health care stocks, signaling rising sector confidence (Reuters, 2026-07-27)
Hedge fund bets on rising US healthcare stocks near 5-year high, Goldman saysElectronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: Data center growth forces utilities to accelerate grid-equipment purchases (Reuters, 2026-07-09)
US power companies scramble to secure equipment as surging data center demand strains suppliesMachinery: Surging data center demand strains US power infrastructure and drives orders for grid and power equipment (Reuters, 2026-07-09)
US power companies scramble to secure equipment as surging data center demand strains suppliesHealth Care Equipment & Supplies: Rising hedge fund allocations highlight growing interest in US health care stocks (Reuters, 2026-07-27)
Hedge fund bets on rising US healthcare stocks near 5-year high, Goldman saysMedia: Social media platform tied to Donald Trump tests new revenue models with fees for faster access to content (Reuters, 2026-07-19)
Trump Media pitched $100,000 monthly fee for fastest feed of US president’s posts, sources sayElectric Utilities: Overview of the largest US power utilities underscores the scale of investment needed to modernize grids (Reuters, 2026-05-19)
Some of the biggest power companies in USWireless Telecommunication Services: New satellite-to-cell plans from SpaceX raise questions about future US mobile competition (Reuters, 2026-08-05)
SpaceX’s mobile ambitions jolt US telecom market, analysts debate threatTobacco: Major US tobacco companies gain from regulatory changes after FDA shake-up (Reuters, 2026-05-28)
Big Tobacco comes out on top after US FDA shake-upHotels, Restaurants & Leisure: Rising prices for US travel split demand between affluent and budget-conscious consumers (Reuters, 2026-05-29)
Costlier flights, hotels divide US summer travel into haves and have-notsBanks: New bank charter approval for a Trump-backed crypto company highlights evolving US financial regulation (Reuters, 2026-08-14)
US regulator approves bank charter for Trump-backed crypto company World Liberty FinancialCapital Markets: Political focus on equity performance highlights the gap between stock gains and overall US participation (Reuters, 2026-07-10)
Trump makes the stock market his scoreboard, but many Americans aren’t even in the game

