The financial industry rallied again to replace the technology industry as the most profitable sector in the United States. Financial firms in the country were driven by Standard & Poor's 500 Index growth spurt, making them finally among the winners after suffering from the credit crisis a few years ago.
Seventeen percent of Standard & Poor's 500 Index is comprised of almost financial firms such as banks, insurance companies, and brokers. This figure is twice the amount of financial firms four years ago (8.5%). The tech industry remained above the financial sector, but the figures are now neck and neck. Tech firms comprised 17.6% of the S&P 500.
"The fact that we are seeing banks perform reasonably well provides a certain sense of confidence in the underlying economy," commented marketing analyst Kevin Caron.
Interestingly, Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase & Co, both leading names in their respective industries, had an estimated US$21 billion in revenue last year. This year, the financial firm gained 31% profits, while the tech company dropped 12% in the previous quarter.
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