The Daily Screen: The Best Financial-Services Funds

Screen Saver Here are recent daily screens covering other fund categories.

Foreign

Large-Cap Blend Funds

Telecom

Small-Cap Value

Tech

Europe

Pacific/Asia

Real Estate

Global

Natural Resources

Utilities

Japan

Mid-Cap Growth

Health Care

Mid-Cap Blend

Financial Sector

Strategic-Income

Large-Cap Value

Small-Cap Growth

Mid-Cap Value

'Twentysomething'

Communications

Large-Cap Growth

Large-Cap Blend

International

Emerging Markets

It's not completely clear who the next president will be, but it's obvious that financial stocks and financial-sector funds are back from the dead.

Just a few years ago these funds, which typically invest in banks, brokerages, insurers and money management shops, were the hottest around. Investors saw a booming economy, industry consolidation and the vast wave of baby boomers building a retirement nest egg as key growth catalysts. In 1995, 1996 and 1997, the average financial sector fund beat the S&P 500.

In 1998 and 1999, however, rising rates and slowing growth put the sector in neutral -- rising rates typically pinch financial stocks' profits. The stabilization of interest rates and a spate of mergers this year have the sector marching north again, to the tune of a 19.6% gain, while the S&P 500 is underwater. ...