Fears of a U.S. federal government shutdown? No problem. North Africa and the Mideast in an uproar? Not to worry. Rising inflation and decreasing fears about equities? It's all good.
Not only have the markets climbed the wall of worry quite easily so far this year, they all appear to be using the same rope. The Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq are all up about 5% so far this year. But as is always the case, markets operate like ducks on a pond - things seem quiet and steady on the surface, but there are a lot of little feet madly paddling away out of sight. With that in mind, let us look at some of the top performers in 2011.
Solar - The Sun Has Come Out Tomorrow
Solar carries the rap for being economical and attractive only because of heavy government subsidies - subsidies that will presumably go away in the newly frugal world of 2011. It's not bothering the stocks, though, as this sector is up more than 36% so far this year. While tiny solar companies have seen the sun shine, large players like Jinko (NYSE:JKS) and LDK (NYSE:LDK), with the former announcing a 23% sequential revenue jump in Monday's earnings report. (For more, see Top Solar Stocks To Watch.)
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