Are Banks Really a Good Trade Here? By John Hughes and Scott Maragioglio About this article: It may surprise some investors to know that one of the best-performing sectors during the last leg of this banking crisis was ... you guessed it, the banking stocks. The banking sector as a whole has outperformed the broader market on a comparative relative basis since the summer. But is it too late to get in? And if so how do you do so? Let's take a closer look. The financial stocks have been moving down since the beginning of 2007 as the financial crisis has unwound. The banking sector appears to have exhausted itself to the downside in July and the group has failed to make a new low since then, despite the crash in the broader equities market. Retail HOLDRs Click here for larger image. While we understand that major problems persist, we believe the banking crisis may have peaked and the credit market... Or, call us at 1-866-321-TSCM (8726) Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET. Outside the U.S. and in Canada, call 1-212-321-5200. More Stories From RealMoney Durable Goods Up Move Down the Tech Food Chain Jobless Claims Still High Bulls' Tenacity Is the Big Question Mark Should You Buy It? Pharmaceutical Product Development Bad News Trumps All Support for Banks Holds, For Now Bummer, Yields Are on the Rise Money on the Line Makes a Big Difference Structured Products: Unsafe at Any Price MORE STORIES FROM REALMONEY

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