Why Oil and Gas Stocks Are Crushing the Market in 2021

Oil and gas stocks have led the market higher so far in 2021, a surprise after struggling for years to generate market-beating returns. Rising oil and natural gas prices have driven energy stocks higher and an improving economy could help demand and prices throughout the year.

Below, I've highlighted Marathon Oil (NYSE: MRO), Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG), Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN), Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY), and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM). These are not only some of the biggest energy companies in the U.S., they're also among the top performers in the S&P 500 this year.