By Dan Weil Defensive stocks tend to outperform the overall market when it’s falling and the economy is struggling. Given the stock market’s volatility and the economy’s sluggishness, you might want to consider defensive stocks. These stocks, in sectors such as consumer staples and utilities, tend to outperform the overall market when it’s falling and the economy is struggling. That’s because demand remains strong in these areas even during economic downturns. The S&P 500 has dropped 19% this year, and the economy contracted 1.6% in the first quarter and 0.6% in the second quarter. Looking at …