The electrified automobile and its implications have captured the imagination of thematic investors, ranging from those interested primarily in automakers, to those interested in clean energy or autonomous driving technology.
Energy equities have underperformed the S&P 500 materially over the last five years. While spot oil prices have risen significantly over the last twelve months, longer dated oil prices have not, and energy equities have remained under pressure.
The election of President Donald Trump in November created uncertainty for alternative energy investors due to his anti-environmental, pro-coal stance. His election puts the main alternative energy policies in the United States, such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar installations, Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind installations and the Clean Power Plan (CPP), at risk. Recently, his anti-environmental stance was put in to action with an executive order to dismantle environmental protections.
The Chinese leadership is now promising “to make our skies blue again” in a popular move to address an issue that has given rise to public protests across China against the industrial smog that blights so many cities. The solution to a pressing economic problem is now linked to an emotive popular issue.