Materials - Industry

The Materials sector of the industry is the segment of the company in which firms encompass the discovery, processing, and sale of materials to other sectors of the economy. The companies in this sector supply most of the materials used in construction, chemicals, containers and packaging, metals and mining, and paper and forest products. With the basic materials sector composed of stocks for companies involved in the discovery, development, and processing of raw materials, the materials sector is also involved in mining and metal refining. The materials sector is composed of companies that make basic products, such as cardboard or glue, that are used by a variety of other industries or companies. This industry is sensitive to changes in the business cycle and tends to thrive when the economy is strong.