: Expectations of tax cuts and increased infrastructure support under the new U.S. administration provided a tailwind for industrial and homebuilding stocks like Boeing (BA) and D.R. Horton (DHI) .
: 2017 favored growth investors; U.S. growth stocks returned roughly 29.59%, more than double the 13.19% return of value stocks. 10 High-Risk, High-Reward Stocks to Buy for 2017
: The maker of Invisalign benefited from a near-monopoly on invisible braces, seeing a 131% increase as it expanded its training to thousands of dentists globally.
: Nine of the top ten performing stocks of the year were in the biotech sector. Companies like Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) (up 97%) and Dynavax Technologies (DVAX) (up 373%) succeeded based on FDA approvals and breakthrough trial data.
For investors in 2017, the "high-risk, high-reward" segment of the market was defined by a strong rebound in energy, explosive breakthroughs in biotechnology, and the rising dominance of high-growth technology. While the broader market saw a lack of volatility, with the S&P 500 rising roughly 20% and the Nasdaq nearly 30%, these specific sectors offered triple-digit gains for those willing to stomach higher volatility.
