STOCKS — 28 September 2026
Companion to STOCKS Episode Five, "Build Takes the Lead"
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THE BOARD
Nine of the 205 companies we track are at or near their own recorded high this week, up from eight — the first rise in the total since Episode One. Build leads with three, a leg that had none two weeks ago. Earth, Health and Digital have two each; Need, Want, Money and Yield have none. Four legs are represented, down from five. Half of last week's names were replaced again. Average distance from high across the whole board is 72.7%, against 72.9% a week ago.
EARTH — PHYSICALLY SCARCE RESOURCES
Two at or near high, as last week, but a different pair. Palisades Goldcorp (102.9%) and Suncor Energy (99.5%) are at the top. Altius Minerals is just short at 98.5%, followed by Franco-Nevada (95.7%) and Anglo American (94.9%).
BUILD — THINGS WE MAKE AND CONSTRUCT
The leg of the week, with three at or near high. Smiths Group leads at 102.1%, ahead of IMI (99.5%) and Deere (99.4%). Rolls-Royce and Atlas Copco are both close behind at 97.5%. Separately, our New Highs tracker logged a first new all-time high for Smiths Group in the week to 25 September.
NEED — THINGS WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT
Still no names at the top. Lotus Bakeries leads at 97.0%, then Premier Foods (91.8%, following a correction to its recorded high in our data), Costco (86.1%), Unilever (84.1%) and Couche-Tard (84.0%).
WANT — THINGS WE CHOOSE TO BUY
Still none. General Motors leads at 93.0%, ahead of InterContinental Hotels (91.6%), Inditex (90.8%), Hilton (90.0%) and Richemont (87.7%).
HEALTH — KEEPING US ALIVE AND WELL
Two at or near high, up from one. AbbVie (99.7%) holds its place and Thermo Fisher (99.5%) joins it. Johnson & Johnson (98.5%), Merck (97.5%) and Gilead (97.4%) are close behind.
MONEY — THE PLUMBING OF CAPITAL
Back to none. Axa leads at 97.6%, then HSBC (95.9%), JPMorgan (94.5%), Berkshire Hathaway (93.7%) and Allianz (93.5%).
DIGITAL — INFORMATION, SOFTWARE AND NETWORKS
Two at or above their recorded highs, down from three: Apple (101.5%) and Advanced Micro Devices (100.2%). The whole top five sits within three points of its highs — Microsoft (98.5%), NVIDIA (97.7%) and Cloudflare (97.3%) complete it.
YIELD — REAL ESTATE AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Still none. United Utilities leads at 97.6%, ahead of Severn Trent (93.4%), SSE (90.4%), Simon Property (89.1%) and Drax (85.6%).
WHAT TO WATCH
Whether Rolls-Royce and Atlas Copco, both at 97.5%, take Build's count higher next week, or whether the leading leg changes again, as it has three times since Episode Zero.
Figures are each company’s latest price as a percentage of its recorded high, as of 28 September 2026. Descriptive only — no forecasts. Full register: moneyspider.net/micro.