Investing in Renewable Energy Funds

A:

Chip, Thanks for your note. Below is a list of the current Exchange traded Funds (ETF's) that are currently trading on the markets and how their performance has been since 6-1-2008 compared to the standard indexes you normally see in the paper.

Obviously they have taken the same sort of beating that the average solar stock has taken (actually a bit less). However, I think it may be the time to take a closer look at the sector now that it has been beaten down and we have a new, very pro solar, administration in Washington.

As I have said in the past, I would make sure that you approach this newly emerging solar sector with caution and with higher risk tolerant capital. In addition, you may want to take a look at each of the listed ETF's webpage and check to see how each of them are weighted (you can usually click on each ETF's page and get a listing of the stocks they own and the percentage of the fund in each stock) in regard to solar stocks, some may have too much of certain stock you may feel is more risky or less in line with your investment focus.

Symbol	ETF Names	Performance %
ECO	The WilderHill Clean Energy Index	-57.2
FAN	First Trust Global Wind Energy Fund	-59.1
GEX	Market Vectors Global Alternative Energy ETF	-58
KWT	Market Vectors Solar Energy	-60.3
PBD	PowerShares Global Clean Energy Portfolio	-56.1
PBW	PowerShares Wilderhill Clean Energy	-56.3
PUW	PowerShares WilderHill Prog. Energy	-50.8
PWND	PowerShares Global Wind Energy Portfolio	-57.1
PZD	PowerShares Cleantech Portfolio	-50.3
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Liquid Series Index Fund	-55.6
TAN	Claymore/MAC Global Solar Energy Index Fund	-61.5
	Standard Indexes
DJIA	Dow Jones	-29.2
SPX	Standard and Poors 500	-33.5
NASD	NASDAQ	-34.7

 

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