I remember reading this headline and then going and looking at the XMAG index[0].
YTD: +15.5%
1 year: +9%
Since inception (Oct 2024): +14%
Comparing that with S&P500
YTD: +16.7%
1 year: +13%
Since XMAG inception: +18%
The article should start with such a comparison but it just seems like a lot of text with very little numerical comparison, which makes it not very useful to conclude what the case is.
Correct! Backtest and compare ratios to common indexes!
If we made a similar comparison to the SP500 index since its inception in 1926, and made a chart of total returns difference over 1 year sliding window, between index and index minus it's top 7 performing stocks, i bet we will see this recent period isn't at all exceptional. Every economic boom is propelled by one or two sectors that have a limited number of players.
The MSN link on the post doesn't have the charts the original WaPo article [0] contains, which provide just such a comparison, though over a longer period (from 2019), showing 132% vs 1057%. (No idea if that is right or more/less meaningful, just pointing out it's missed off this link.)
[0] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/24/sp500-sto...