Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS): Today's Featured Financial Services Winner

Goldman Sachs Group ( GS) pushed the Financial Services industry higher today making it today's featured financial services winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.2%. By the end of trading, Goldman Sachs Group rose $2.40 (1.5%) to $160.11 on light volume. Throughout the day, 2,828,515 shares of Goldman Sachs Group exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 3,798,500 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $158.56-$160.28 after having opened the day at $158.85 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $157.71. Other companies within the Financial Services industry that increased today were: Millennium India Acquisition Corporation ( SMCG), up 12.0%, QIWI PLC ADR ( QIWI), up 10.7%, Palmetto ( PLMT), up 4.9% and Mesa Royalty ( MTR), up 4.9%.

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The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services, as well as financial services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Goldman Sachs Group has a market cap of $71.4 billion and is part of the financial sector. Shares are up 22.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 4 analysts that rate Goldman Sachs Group a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 15 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Goldman Sachs Group as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, growth in earnings per share, attractive valuation levels, increase in net income and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

You can view the full Goldman Sachs Group Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Xoom ( XOOM), down 5.7%, Marine Petroleum ( MARPS), down 5.5%, Paulson Capital ( PLCC), down 5.5% and Consumer Portfolio Services ( CPSS), down 3.9% , were all laggards within the financial services industry with Invesco ( IVZ) being today's financial services industry laggard.

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For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the financial services industry could consider Financial Select Sector SPDR ( XLF) while those bearish on the financial services industry could consider Proshares Short Financials ( SEF).