12 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Poised to Catch Up in 2025
Consumer discretionary is the lone S&P 500 sector in the red this year. These 12 names could be your contrarian play.
Every sector in the S&P 500 is posting gains this year — except one. Consumer discretionary is sitting in the red while the rest of the market parties, making it the ultimate laggard in an otherwise bullish tape. That's either a red flag or a screaming opportunity, depending on your risk appetite.
Contrarian traders live for setups like this. When one sector gets left behind during a broad rally, the eventual catch-up trade can be violent to the upside. The key is identifying which names inside that sector have the fundamentals and momentum to lead the reversal when sentiment finally shifts.
Read more Hesai Technology Flagged as Cyber Risk With Nvidia Ties →
MarketWatch has flagged 12 stocks within consumer discretionary that analysts favor as top candidates to close that performance gap. These aren't random picks — they're names that have drawn conviction calls even as the broader sector struggled to find footing. That kind of bullish analyst consensus during a drawdown is worth paying attention to.
The setup here is straightforward: the market is telling you something is wrong with consumer discretionary, but it's not telling you everything is wrong with every stock inside it. Selectivity is your edge. One rate cut, one strong retail sales print, or one shift in consumer sentiment could be the catalyst that sends the laggards ripping.
If you're looking for asymmetric upside in a market that's already run hard, this beaten-down sector deserves a serious look. Continue reading at MarketWatch.com
