SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ:SCTY) shares were having a terrible time on today’s markets as the optimism that swept investors on Monday appeared to dissipate.
At time of writing, shares in SolarCity Corp. (NASDAQ:SCTY) had fallen by more than 11 percent on Tuesday’s trading to sit at $45.75. On Monday, shares in the solar energy firm, which is backed by Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, rose by more than 14 percent in heated trading.
SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ:SCTY) shares have been extremely volatile as analysts predict the government may offer legislation to help companies in that sector some time soon. The company’s connection to Elon Musk, and the prodigious rise of his Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), has probably added to the instability in the company’s stock price.
A better gauge of the entire solar market might be the Guggenheim Solar Index ETF, an Exchange Traded Fund that tracks an index based on solar industry equities. Shares in that fund were up on today’s market, sitting at $25.88 at time of writing, up 1.33 percent for the day’s trading. Since the start of the year, the ETF has been performing well, though perhaps not so well as Elon Musk’s SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ:SCTY).
The Guggenheim Solar Index ETF has grown in value by more than 65 percent since the start of 2013. In comparison, SolarCity shares, including today’s losses, have grown in value by more than 286 percent since the start of the year. SolarCity Corp (NYSE:SCTY) is an admirable company, but Musk madness may have made it the most overvalued property in the solar industry.
The performance of the solar ETF, Guggenheim Solar Index ETF, on today’s market may be attributable to the reintroduction of a bill to the United States Senate. According to Cinthia Murphy over at Index Universe, the “Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act” could be a boon to solar companies if it is passed this year.
The bill would, according to Index Universe, increase the ability of solar companies to access capital and make that capital less expensive. The solar industry is in dire need of capital injections as it tries to grow to rival mainstream power supplies. There are several other laws in the works, including at a state level, that could help solar companies expand in 2013.
The Guggenheim Solar Index ETF is an interesting way for the more risk averse to get exposure to the whole solar market, but the high risk seekers, and Musk lovers, will want to head over to SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ:SCTY).
