April 26-30: Dow, NASDAQ Slide; Solar Up

Worst week since January for major indexes

On reports of a criminal probe into Goldman Sachs and disappointing tech results, major US stock indexes had their worst week since January.

The DJIA dropped nearly 196 points since last Friday to finish at 11008.61, a 1.8% slip. NASDAQ faired worse losing 69 points to end today at 2461.19, a 2.8% loss. While most issues in the 20 Solar Stock Index lost, the composite actually gained a meager 2 points to 412.92 for the week.

Nevertheless, April was a good month for stocks overall and the third consecutive month of gains on most indexes.

MarketWatch reports that MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR) had a first quarter loss as overhead costs more than doubled. The result is a 22% drop to 12.97 today. Solar leaders include First Solar, GT Solar and Renesola.

20 Solar Stocks Index Week of April 26-30, 2010

	Monday Open	Friday Close	Up/Down	% Change	Close 1/5/09*	Close 3/6/09**
Dow Jones DJIA	11204.28	11008.61	-195.67	-1.777%	8952.89	6626.95
NASDAQ	2530.15	2461.19	-68.96	-2.801	1628.03	1293.85
Akeena Solar AKNS	1.14	1.09	-.05	-4.587	2.28	.61
Amtel Systems ASYS	9.95	9.57	-.38	-3.970	4.00	2.73
Applied Materials AMAT	14.47	13.78	-.79	-5.007	10.67	8.70
Canadian Solar CSIQ	18.32	17.26	-1.06	-6.141	7.00	3.0601
ECD (UniSolar) ENER	7.53	7.11	-.42	-5.907	29.33	17.45
Entech Solar ENSL.OB	.15	.13	-.02	-15.38	.28	.23
Evergreen Solar ESLR	1.20	1.12	-.08	-7.142	3.60	1.03
First Solar FSLR	133.87	143.98	+10.09	+7.552	157.80	108.49
GT Solar Int. SOLR	5.65	5.83	+.18	+3.185	4.00	4.02
JA Solar JASO	6.08	6.11	+.03	+1.326	5.09	1.91
Kyocera KYO	98.79	98.25	-.54	-.5496	71.87	54.21
LDK Solar LDK	8.00	7.78	-.22	-2.827	14.84	4.40
MEMC Elect. WFR	15.82	12.97	-2.85	-21.97	15.76	13.68
Renesola SOL	7.34	7.81	+.47	+6.403	5.15	2.1201
Satcon SATC	2.82	2.81	-.01	-.3558	1.60	1.23
SolarFun SOLF	8.74	8.66	-.08	-.9237	6.12	2.30
SunPower SPWRA	18.22	16.60	-1.62	-9.759	45.13	23.39
SunTech STP	14.08	13.56	-.52	-3.834	13.55	5.34
Trina Solar TSL	25.67	25.87	+.20	+.7791	10.09	7.23
Yingli YGE	13.11	12.63	-.48	-3.800	7.25	3.888
20SSI Weekly Cumulative:	Previous 410.95	Current 412.92	Change +1.97/+.4793%	Avg Stock -3.24%	1/05/09* 415.41	3/06/09** 266.01

* The starting date of the 20 Solar Stock Index (20SSI).
** The Concensus "new" bull market began on Monday, March 9, 2009.
NOTE: All above stocks have market capitalization of $100M+ except Akeena Solar, Amtel Systems
and Entech Solar. This listing is strictly informational and implies neither endorsement or disapproval
of any stock listed. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Dow, NASDAQ Up; Solar Down a Sliver

Six week streak longest since May 2007

For the sixth consecutive week the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ have gone up, the longest streak in nearly two years. The 20 solar stocks in this index (20SSI) were a mixed bag; the average down less than a percentage point.

The biggest gainer was Entech Solar but that could be the fluke of the week. MEMC, a silicon wafer maker, took the biggest slide on news the company's first quarter earnings were about 5% under projections. Overall, eleven stocks were down this week putting the 20-stock averge at -.0641%.

Since Monday, March 9, the day the current bull market began, through end of trading yesterday, April 17, the Dow has risen 22% and NASDAQ 24.3%. Despite this week's weak performance the 20SSI has risen 58.6% in the past six weeks. So far as this blogger knows, no one else is reporting how the solar industry is bouncing back big in the early recovery stage.

Week of April 13-17

	Monday Open	Friday Close	Up/Down	% Change	Close 1/5/09
Dow Jones DJIA	8083.38	8131.33	+47.95	+5.931%	8952.89
NASDAQ	1652.54	1673.07	+20.53	+1.242	1628.03
Akeena Solar AKNS	1.24	1.24	NC	NC	2.28
Amtel Systems ASYS	3.2901		-.0201	-.6146	4.00
Applied Materials AMAT	11.81	11.45	+.47	+4.104	10.67
Canadian Solar CSIQ	6.88	6.46	-.42	-6.114	7.00
ECD (UniSolar) ENER	15.02	15.82	_.80	+5.326	29.33
Entech Solar ENSL.OB	.2050	.26	+.055	+26.829	.28
Evergreen Solar ESLR	2.24	2.21	-.03	-3.300	3.60
First Solar FSLR	142.05	143.80	+1.75	+1.231	157.80
GT Solar Int. SOLR	6.72	6.97	-.23	-3.300	4.00
JA Solar JASO	3.43	3.41	-.02	-.586	5.09
Kyocera KYO	68.88	69.55	+.67	+.972	71.87
LDK Solar LDK	8.08	8.39	+.31	+13.836	14.84
MEMC Elect. WFR	18.95	15.59	-3.36	-17.741	15.76
Renesola SOL	3.82	3.32	-.50	-13.090	5.15
Satcon SATC	1.92	1.79	-.13	-7.262	1.60
SolarFun SOLF	4.56	4.46	-.10	-2.203	6.12
SunPower SPWRA	26.04	26.45	+.41	+1.574	45.13
SunTech STP	14.40	14.75	+.35	+2.430	13.55
Trina Solar TSL	12.79	12.38	-.41	-3.216	10.09
Yingli YGE	7.31	7.01	-.30	-4.279	7.25
Percent change all 20 stocks this week:				-.0641%

Since March 9: Dow Up 21%; Solar Up 56%

Dow's best 4-week spike since '33...

The Dow Jones Industrial Average just finished its best four-week streak since 1933. The Dow opened Monday, March 9 at 6626.95 then marched on to a stellar climb to 8017.19 at the end of trading today--a gaudy gain of 1390.24 points or 21%. The tech-concentrated NASDAQ grew from 1293.85 to 1621.87 points, 25.35% up. However, the 20SSI have to take the prize having gained 56.10% net combined since March 9.

GT Solar was the biggest gainer in solar gaining $2.50 a share for the week, over a 40% gain. SunTech, SatCon and Canadian Solar also had a good week of trading. It's disturbing mainstream media is either oblivious or doesn't want pick up on solar's thrust in the market. Three stocks, MEMC, Satcon and Trina Solar, exceeded their January 5 starts. For comparison's sake it would be timely to analyze the rise of the stocks in this index against the rapid demise of Chrysler and GM. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Investors seem to betting on an economic rebound and technology stocks despite grim employment reports. Some 663,000 jobs were lost in March nationwide for a total of 5.1 million since the recession began about 14 months ago. Reported unemployment jumped to 8.5% well exceeded the 8.1% projection.

Incentives for solar power installations and low panel prices plus the onset of spring is bolstering the PV industry. Just like housing, it's a great to time go solar if you have the cash or the credit. Signs of banks opening up are showing and this helps. Furthermore, one thing's for sure, utilities will raise rates if and when they can.

Week of March 30-April 3, 2009

	Monday Open	Friday Close	Up/Down	% Change	Close 1/5/09
Dow Jones DJIA	7776.18	8017.59	+241.41	+3.10%	8952.89
NASDAQ	1545.20	1621.87	+76.77	+4.96	1628.03
Akeena Solar AKNS	1.11	1.19	+.08	+7.20	2.28
Amtel Systems ASYS	3.46	3.27	-.19	-5.50	4.00
Applied Materials AMAT	11.23	11.81	+.58	+5.16	10.67
Canadian Solar CSIQ	5.76	6.73	+.97	+16.84	7.00
ECD (UniSolar) ENER	13.23	15.77	+2.54	+19.191	29.33
Entech Solar ENSL.OB	+.32	.245	-.075	-23.44	.28
Evergreen Solar ESLR	2.33	2.20	-.13	-5.58	3.60
First Solar FSLR	147.36	134.38	-12.98	-8.81	157.80
GT Solar Int. SOLR	4.22	6.72	+2.50	+40.76	4.00
JA Solar JASO	3.93	3.47	-.46	-11.71	5.09
Kyocera KYO	68.07	68.19	+.12	+.17	71.87
LDK Solar LDK	7.19	6.99	-.20	-2.79	14.84
MEMC Elect. WFR	18.38	18.69	+.31	+1.68	15.76
Renesola SOL	3.70	3.84	+.14	+3.78	5.15
Satcon SATC	1.63	1.88	+.25	+15.33	1.60
SolarFun SOLF	4.67	4.318	-.352	-7.54	6.12
SunPower SPWRA	25.30	24.67	-.63	-2.50	45.13
SunTech STP	11.65	14.00	+2.35	+20.17	13.55
Trina Solar TSL	12.33	11.15	-1.18	-9.58	10.09
Yingli YGE	6.15	6.78	+.63	+10.24	7.25
Percent change all 20 stocks this week:				+1.85%

Solar Stocks Update: One Stock Stands Out

Most down but better than last week

Again, the stimulus bill signed last week which included about $80 billion in incentives and benefits for the solar industry. In fact, February 17 quite likely was the best day for the American PV industry in history. So solar stocks caught fire, right? Wrong. The 20 stocks in this index went down an average 19.38%. There's always next week, right?

This week, at a combined 7.43% down, obviously was a little better. Maybe investors are beginning to see the (sun)light; that renewable energy companies will not only create more jobs but will slow electricity rate hikes while reducing GHG emissions. Or maybe it's because spring is just a month away and the prospect of sunnier days get more people thinking solar. (This blogger always more PV installations during the baseball season when air conditioning can make electricity bills look like mortgage payments.) Or maybe it's because banking stocks are super dicey and U.S. auto stocks look even worse.

Through it all, one solar-related stock stands out: MEMC. This company started as a venture by the old Monsanto chemical conglomerate in St. Louis in 1959 becoming the Monsanto Electronic Materials Company. Today MEMC produces high-grade silicon wafers at nine facilities in all the major semiconductor markets in the world including Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, Europe and the U.S. Their new line of 300mm silicon wafers (about 12" diameter) could become extra large solar cells. If that's the intention, the cost of PV modules for large-scale installations could go down considerably. All solar stocks are down from the January 5 close of trading and the beginning of this index but MEMC has only dropped 5% in the time, the least of all 20.

It is not the intention of this index to recommend or detract from any stock listed. However, crystalline cells still run the world's electronics and convert sunlight to energy. A well-entrenched, well-distributed chip manufacturer with an active R&D arm, MEMC, is at least a brighter spot in today's PV market.

Week of February 23-27, 2009

	Monday Open	Friday Close	Up/Down	% Change	Close 1/5/09
Dow Jones DJIA	7365.67	7062.93	-302.74	-4.12%	8952.89
NASDAQ	1441.23	1377.84	-63.39	-4.40	1628.03
Akeena Solar AKNS	1.47	1.06	-.41	-27.90	2.28
Amtel Systems ASYS	3.01	2.96	-.05	-1.63	4.00
Applied Materials AMAT	8.76	9.21	+.45	+5.13	10.67
Canadian Solar CSIQ	4.20	3.59	-.61	-14.53	7.00
ECD (UniSolar) ENER	24.62	21.93	-2.69	-10.93	29.33
Entech Solar ENSL.OB	.272	.2602	-.0118	.-4.44	.28
Evergreen Solar ESLR	1.30	1.22	-.08	-6.16	3.60
First Solar FSLR	134.01	105.74	-28.27	-21.10	157.80
GT Solar Int. SOLR	4.22	4.27	+.05	+1.18	4.00
JA Solar JASO	2.27	2.03	-.24	-10.59	5.09
Kyocera KYO	61.34	57.80	-3.44	-5.78	71.87
LDK Solar LDK	6.12	5.12	-1.00	-16.34	14.84
MEMC Elect. WFR	13.75	15.01	+1.26	+9.16	15.76
Renesola SOL	2.37	2.42	+.05	+2.10	5.15
Satcon SATC	1.19	1.19	NC	NC	1.60
SolarFun SOLF	2.97	2.99	+.02	+.006	6.12
SunPower SPWRA	30.92	27.89	-3.03	-9.80	45.13
SunTech STP	6.86	6.09	-.77	-11.33	13.55
Trina Solar TSL	7.49	6.54	-.95	-12.69	10.09
Yingli YGE	4.07	3.89	-.18	-4.43	7.25
Percent change all 20 stocks this week:				-7.43%