The consumer staples sector is often perceived as the tortoise in the race against the hares of the equity markets; steady, reliable, and unexciting. However, a closer examination of historical data reveals that this sector’s performance is not only stable, but also a potential indicator of broader market trends. The beginning of the year can set the tone for what’s to come, and this is where consumer staples stocks have shown a remarkable pattern. Over the past 25 years, strong starts within the sector have typically translated to robust full-year outperformance. Interestingly, the best starts for consumer staples — in 2000, 2008,…
