Below is a sampling of different industry groups that have led different bull markets in each decade.
The 1950's saw aerospace, aluminum, building, paper and steel stocks perform well. Bowling caught on and there was growth in electronics, publishing and vending machines.
The 1960's saw growth in Airlines, television, tobacco, savings and loans, hotels, semi-conductors and mobile homes. As more Americans began to travel and spend, these groups benefited.
The 1970's leading groups were coal, restaurants, building, retailing, gold, silver, coal, showrooms, hospitals, nursing homes, computers and oil services.
The 1980's were led at different times by automobile manufacturers, discount supermarket chains, mobile homes, toys, generic drugs, bakery, cable TV, computer software, shoes, sugar, telecommunications and outpatient health care.
The 1990's witnessed a variety of different leadership groups including: Health Maintenance Organizations, gaming, banks, gas exploration, oil and gas drilling, Internet, medical devices and products, telecommunications equipment, semiconductors, networking, fiber optics, and computer memory devices.
The 2000's have seen leadership from: Internet, insurance, community banks, steel, mining, housing, REITS, emerging markets, oil, gold, commodities, nano-technology, and alternative energy sectors.