JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS ) is one of the world’s heavyweight solar panel makers. The company is based in China and runs the whole show end-to-end, from cranking out wafers to turning them into finished panels. ItI focus on producing objective, data-driven research, mostly about small- to mid-cap companies, as these tend to be overlooked by many investors. From time to time, though, I also look at large-cap names, just to give a fuller sense of the broader equity markets.Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, ...

Core Insights - Clean energy ETFs, despite achieving double-digit gains in 2025, are facing challenges in attracting assets as the renewable energy sector grows rapidly [1][2] Group 1: Market Performance - The ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES) has returned 31.9% year-to-date and 25.2% over the past year, but shows a three-year annualized loss of 13.2% [1][4] - Global renewable power capacity is expected to double in the next five years, with an increase of 4,600 gigawatts [2] Group 2: Fund Composition - ACES tracks North American clean energy stocks, holding 48 companies across various sectors including solar, wind, electric vehicles, and battery storage [3][5] - The top holdings in ACES include Nextracker Inc. (6.5%), Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (5.7%), and First Solar, Inc. (5.6%) [5] - Electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Group also represent significant portions of the fund's holdings [6] Group 3: Industry Trends - The U.S. ranks second globally in new solar growth, generating 190 terawatt hours of solar energy in the first half of 2025 [7] - The current clean energy boom in the U.S. is partly driven by businesses capitalizing on Biden-era clean energy tax credits before they expire [8]

This year Pakistan became the world’s second-largest importer of solar panels. It has become a laboratory for the green-energy transition in the global south https://t.co/49JKon70gH ...

Other investors might be green with envy. This year, clean energy investments have been absolutely smashing it, technically speaking. Even with headwinds such as turbine projects being halted and tax credits for renewable energy fast-tracked for expiration, returns in the sector have outpaced the wider market, running laps around the S&P 500. That has caused a crunch to get projects done sooner, ramping up demand for materials and parts like solar panels. So far this year, the S&P Global Clean Energy Tran ...

Core Insights - Clean energy stocks are significantly outperforming the tech-heavy Nasdaq in 2025, with the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF returning 46% year to date compared to the Nasdaq's 20% rise [1] - The clean energy sector is experiencing a rally as electricity generation from renewable sources surpasses that of coal for the first time, with California now sourcing 66% of its energy from clean power, up from 41% in 2015 [2][4] Clean Energy Market Performance - The iShares Global Clean Energy ETF has a current price of $17.30, with a year-to-date increase of 46% [2] - Nvidia, a key player in the AI sector, has seen a 38% rise year to date, indicating that clean energy stocks are outperforming even leading tech stocks [2] Factors Driving Growth - The Trump administration's policies have created urgency in the clean energy sector, as companies must initiate projects by July 2026 to retain tax credits, leading to a national race to develop renewable energy infrastructure [3][4] - Bloomberg New Energy Finance has increased its power generation forecast for clean energy projects by 10% due to this urgency [4] Key Companies in Clean Energy - **NextEra Energy**: - A leader in wind, solar, and battery storage, with plans to add 8 gigawatts of solar and battery storage by 2029, enough to power approximately 6 million homes [7] - Achieved a 25% year-over-year earnings growth last quarter, with a revenue increase of 10.4% [8] - Has consistently raised dividends since 1994, with a current yield of 2.7%, targeting another 10% increase next year [9][10] - **First Solar**: - The largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S., with shares up 38% year to date and a gross margin increase to 46% [11] - Currently valued with a P/E ratio of 20.6, lower than the S&P 500 average, and analysts forecast a 56.8% growth for the next quarter [12][13] - **iShares Global Clean Energy ETF**: - Offers a diversified investment in clean energy, tracking around 100 securities with $1.7 billion in assets under management [14] - The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.39%, making it an attractive option for investors seeking exposure to the clean energy sector without relying on individual companies [15]

Core Viewpoint - First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) is identified as a promising investment opportunity in the context of rising energy demands and supportive U.S. energy policies, particularly in relation to AI and solar energy production [1][2]. Group 1: Analyst Insights - Doug Clinton from Deepwater Asset Management considers First Solar a cheap energy stock, emphasizing its potential role in addressing power shortages for data centers [1]. - The company is highlighted for its domestic manufacturing of solar panels, which aligns with current U.S. administration policies [1]. - First Solar is trading at a low double-digit EPS, suggesting it is undervalued in the context of AI-related investments [1]. Group 2: Market Position and Demand - Ariel Global Fund notes that First Solar is the only U.S.-based solar module manufacturer of scale, positioning it to benefit from increasing AI power demands and "America First" energy policies [2]. - The company is reported to be sold out through 2026, indicating strong demand for its products [2]. - As the final rules of the Inflation Reduction Act become clearer, First Solar's contract wins are expected to accelerate, particularly as developers aim to secure capacity for subsidies [2].

Core Insights - Solex Energy plans to raise ₹500 crore in equity through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) and ₹1,000 crore in debt to fund its expansion [4] - The company has migrated to the main board of the National Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of approximately ₹1,600 crore [4] Investment Plans - Solex will invest ₹1,400 crore to establish a 2.2 GW solar cell manufacturing facility and expand its existing module capacity by 2.5 GW [2][4] - The solar cell facility is projected to cost ₹1,200 crore and is expected to be completed by March 2027, with all necessary land, regulatory approvals, and technology partnerships already secured [2][4] - The expanded module facility will require ₹200 crore and is anticipated to be operational a few months prior to the new cell plant [2][4] Capacity Expansion - Currently, Solex has an operational module manufacturing capacity of 4 GW and aims to increase this to 10 GW of module capacity and 10 GW of cell capacity by 2030 [3][4] - The total planned investment for this expansion is $1.5 billion [3]

Group 1: Renaissance Technologies Fund Performance - A significant Renaissance Technologies fund, managing $20 billion, has experienced a sharp decline of 15% in just ten days, pushing its year-to-date performance into negative territory [2][8] - This underperformance contrasts sharply with the S&P 500, which has climbed 12% over the same period, indicating a challenging environment for some quantitative hedge funds [2][8] Group 2: Meta Platforms Inc. Restructuring - Meta Platforms Inc. is continuing its restructuring efforts with another round of layoffs, particularly within its risk and compliance teams [3][8] - The Chief Compliance Officer, Michel Protti, stated that these job cuts are due to a strategic pivot towards AI-driven automation, aiming to enhance efficiency by replacing manual reviews with automated processes [3][8] Group 3: U.S.-China Trade Talks - High-level U.S.-China trade talks are showing significant progress, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirming that officials are finalizing details of a potential trade deal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [4][8] - These discussions are paving the way for an anticipated leaders' summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, aimed at de-escalating ongoing trade tensions [4][8] Group 4: Russian Oil Companies Valuation Impact - Russia's leading oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, have collectively lost $5.2 billion in market value over five days due to new U.S. sanctions [5][8] - Rosneft's shares declined by 3%, while Lukoil's shares plunged by 7.2%, exacerbating financial pressures on Russia's energy sector [5][8] Group 5: China's Technological and Energy Advances - China has unveiled its first "brain-like intelligent computing body," named "INN inside computing body," which integrates supercomputing capabilities through intuitive neural networks [6][8] - The solar sector in China is showing renewed vigor, with the country adding 256 GW of solar capacity in the first half of 2025, accounting for 67% of the global total [6][8] - Traditional Baijiu makers in China are adapting to changing consumer tastes by introducing lower-alcohol options, with the lower-alcohol market projected to reach CNY 74 billion (USD 10.3 billion) in 2025 [6][8]

Solar panel installations in China edged up last month from a near three-year low, and output of solar cells also increased https://t.co/DzaVTcgu5y ...

Solar panels are powering the silver rally as the world switches from fossil fuels to electrical energy, @davidfickling says (via @opinion) https://t.co/nMWtgDDxQ1 ...