Clean energy has the solar wind in its sails

In hunting around for investment themes for 2014, you could do worse than look to what has already performed well through 2013. Remember, momentum tends to be persistent in financial markets, i.e. unlike the effect of gravity in the physical world, in stock markets what goes up tends to keep on going up.

One of the hottest investment themes of 2013 was Clean (or Renewable) Energy. In the US, the Guggenheim Solar ETF (code TAN) gained 125% over calendar year 2013, while the First Trust Global Wind ETF rose 64%. Could this stellar performance possibly be repeated this year?

 2014 Trend number 2: Clean Energy Gathers Ever More Momentum

The first question that needs to be answered is of course: what is driving these solar and wind energy stocks up? The simple answer is a combination of two factors:

Please click on the Mindful Money web link below to read the rest of the article, including potential ways to invest in this theme:

Clean-energy-has-the-solar-wind-in-its-sails

Take advantage of this following wind for your investments!

Edmund

Time to Stock Up on Claret?

For those who like to look at alternative investments outside of the traditional stocks, bonds and cash asset classes, here is an interesting value suggestion - Bordeaux red wine!

Now the beauty of this investment, unlike the traditional three asset classes above, is that you have the choice of re-selling the wine later on as an investment, or perhaps more interestingly, you can enjoy it yourself, with a good meal and good friends for instance!

The price of fine wines on the Liv-ex wine exchange has fallen steadily since early this year, and now sits over 30% below its mid-2011 high (see chart below). 

Fine Wines becoming More Affordable...

 Now, I would also point out that 2011 and 2012 red Bordeaux vintages, while perfectly drinkable of course in the main, are nowhere near as good in general as the exceptional 2009 and 2010 vintages, according for instance to the wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd. 

2009 and 2010 Red Bordeaux - 10/10!

(For more details on wine vintages, and World Wine Vintage information, look at:
Berry Bros. Wine Vintage Table).

So my non-stock market recommendation of the day: Go stock up on affordable 2009 and 2010 French red Bordeaux vintages, as they still represent good value given the slowing growth in demand from the likes of the Chinese consumer. 

For those looking to buy a good Bordeaux Superieur or even a Clairet (a type of Rosé), I would point you to a wine grower whose wine I have tasted and bought in the recent past, that of Chateau Fontcaille Bellevue. 

This chateau is owned by royal photographer Anwar Hussein and his charming wife Caroline, and produces some very good Bordeaux Superieur reds and an excellent Clairet, perfect for drinking before dinner or with fish or chicken dishes.

You can find details on Anwar and Caroline here:

Anwar Hussein

and details on his reds here:

Chateau Fontcaille Bellevue 2009

(okay, advertisement now over!).

Good luck with your investing, 

Edmund