The NYSE Arca Airline Index (XAL) is an equal-dollar weighted index designed to measure the performance of highly capitalized companies in the airline industry. The XAL Index tracks the price performance of major U.S. and overseas airlines. The XAL Index was established with a benchmark value of 200.00 on October 21, 1994. The XAL Index is rebalanced quarterly based on closing prices on the third Friday in January, April, July & October to ensure that each component stock continues to represent approximately equal weight in the index.
Sterling Weekly for the Week of February 13th, 2012 – 2011 Index Performance Results
I was fairly surprised when I looked at the performance results of the various indices I track. Sterling Investment Services tracks roughly 39 various sector indices. Of these indices, 3 are interest rate indices that track the movement of interest rates, and the other 36 indices are stock based indices that either track the broad market or are designed to track specific market sectors.
The 3 interest rate indices I track obviously did well as the Fed manipulated interest lower, sending bond prices higher in the process. It is tough to get any message from a manipulated market. However, what I do see is a bubble forming that I am very concerned will be far more damaging to the US and world economy when it bursts than the housing bubble was when it burst. Of the 36 stock indices I track, 13 managed to show positive gains for 2011, however it should be noted that