Consumer discretionary stocks haven’t fared so well in 2026. After finishing with a 6% gain last year—good for third worst among the S&P 500’s 11 sectors—the cohort has posted a 2.7% year-to-date (YTD) loss, also good for third to last place.
Things have looked even bleaker over the past month, during which time the consumer discretionary sector has lost 6.46%—dead last in the S&P 500. But help could be on the way later this year thanks to an unlikely hero: food inflation.
