Last year’s high flyers are still soaring.
Solar-focused ETFs moved higher in the past week, partly buoyed by a deal between Solar City and Groupon that will bring discounted solar installations to an even broader audience.
The Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF (KWT) gained 8 percent in the past week, followed by the
Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN | B-44), which was up 7.8 percent, making them the best-performing ETFs on ETF.com’s Top 10 performer’s list for the week ended May 29. In the past 12 months, these two ETFs have each seen total returns of more than 60 percent.
This week, SolarCity, a holding of both ETFs, said it partnered with online discount site Groupon to offer, for a limited time, a deal in which SolarCity covers the cost of installing solar panels, and existing SolarCity customers get a $400 credit to apply toward their monthly bill, all for the promotional price of $1. The move is expected to bring even more traction to the solar energy segment.
On the flip side, gold miner ETFs such as the Global X Pure Gold Miners (GGGG | F-56), iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING | B-99) and the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX | A-61) were all down more than 5 percent for the week.
Gold-related ETFs face a tough road ahead with the S&P 500 Index striking new highs and investors pouring money into equity-related ETFs and showing little interest for the safe-haven metal.
Top 10 Weekly Performers, Excluding Leverage/Inverse Funds and <1,000 Shares Traded
| Ticker | Name | Weekly Performance | Weekly Volume | AUM ($, mm) |
| KWT | Market Vectors Solar Energy | 8.03% | 4,059 | 24.68 |
| TAN | Guggenheim Solar | 7.80% | 896,610 | 461.01 |
| URA | Global X Uranium | 7.67% | 1,108,152 | 229.94 |
| QAT | iShares MSCI Qatar Capped | 7.58% | 408,842 | 18.64 |
| XBI | SPDR S&P Biotech | 7.24% | 1,690,427 | 1,022.35 |
| MES | Market Vectors Gulf States | 6.88% | 171,868 | 37.12 |
| QCLN | First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy | 6.11% | 440,992 | 137.46 |
| RGRA | RBS Rogers Enhanced Agriculture ETN | 6.00% | 19,102 | 10.03 |
| UAE | iShares MSCI UAE Capped | 5.97% | 862,101 | 36.85 |
| PBW | PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy | 5.88% | 645,520 | 198.79 |
Bottom 10 Weekly Performers, Excluding Leverage/Inverse Funds and <1,000 Shares Traded
| Ticker | Name | Weekly Performance | Weekly Volume | AUM ($, mm) |
| EEH | ELEMENTS Linked to SPECTRUM Large Cap U.S. Momentum ETN | -10.12% | 20,087 | 0.00 |
| GGGG | Global X PURE Gold Miners | -5.73% | 18,169 | 3.93 |
| RING | iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners | -5.66% | 559,940 | 55.52 |
| GDX | Market Vectors Gold Miners | -5.16% | 110,374,310 | 7,220.22 |
| PSAU | PowerShares Global Gold and Precious Metals | -5.06% | 89,265 | 23.35 |
| GDXJ | Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners | -5.03% | 20,475,521 | 1,716.28 |
| GLDX | Global X Gold Explorers | -5.00% | 214,192 | 37.70 |
| SILJ | PureFunds ISE Junior Silver (Small Cap Miners/Explorers) | -4.89% | 27,846 | 5.56 |
| TDD | db X-trackers 2010 Target Date | -4.77% | 2,854 | 10.16 |
| SIL | Global X Silver Miners | -4.59% | 975,069 | 207.82 |
Disclaimer: All data as of 6 a.m. Eastern time the date the article is published. Data is believed to be accurate; however, transient market data is often subject to subsequent revision and correction by the exchanges.
