The Market Vectors Global Alternative Energy ETF (NYSEArca: GEX) rose 62.4% year-to-date. Along with solar exposure, GEX includes other alternate energy companies exposed to wind energy, technology, renewable energy and water. Elon Musk’s Tesla (NasdaqGM: TSLA) is among the top performers within the underlying indexing, rising 360%. [ETF Chart of the Day: Talking Tesla]
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity from wind energy is estimated to expand 18% in 2013 and by 2.4% in 2014, making up over 4% of total electricity output.
The iShares U.S. Broker Dealers ETF (NYSEArca: IAI) increased 60.7% year-to-date. S&P Capital IQ expects the sector will continue to benefit from brokers and investment banks as commission fees and institutional trading remain below 2008 levels and pick up in the future. Additionally, rising rates would help bolster earnings for investment banks and brokerage firms.
The Market Vectors Biotech ETF (NYSEArca: BBH) gained 58.4% year-to-date after outperforming the market for three straight years. Credit Suisse believes that biotechs can continue to outperform in 2014 because of a “perfect storm” in late-stage clinical studies and drug approvals. [10 ETF Investments That Got the Most Bang for Your Buck]
For more information on market sectors, visit our sector ETFs category.