Weekly Update: Saxo Thematic Investing Performance

Weekly Update: Saxo Thematic Investing Performance

Equities 6 minutes to read
Picture of Peter Garnry
Peter Garnry

Chief Investment Strategist

Summary:  In our weekly update on theme baskets performance we highlight energy storage which declined 9.7% last week driven by declines among energy storage and battery providers including German-based Varta declining 38% as the company has withdrawn its fiscal outlook due to elevated energy costs and raw materials. The best relative performer was our defence basket which was bid up due to the Russian mobilisation announcement increasing the need for more weapons to Ukraine and thus lifting the outlook for the defence industyr in the US and Europe.


Everything is in free fall

Last Monday, we wrote our first weekly update on our equity theme baskets and the last week’s performance turns out to be a continuation of what had been doing badly two weeks, namely themes such as crypto, nextgen medicine, green transformation, e.-commerce, and energy storage. Normally, we would write about the worst and the best performing theme, but in this update we will zoom in on the energy storage theme basket because last week had some dramatic moves in this basket.

26_PG_1

Energy storage: higher energy costs complicates the transition

The green transformation has more political capital behind it than ever as the European continent is set to replace its dependence on Russian energy in the years to come. But higher primary energy costs are complicating the transition making everything in manufacturing more costly. One of the companies in the energy storage basket that is under pressure from higher energy costs is Varta announcing last week that it is withdrawing its fiscal outlook for 2022 as rising raw materials and energy costs are making the business of energy storage products unpredictable. Varta’s share price was down 38% last week. The only reason why the energy storage basket is not down more last week is because the basket contains lithium and cobalt miners which are doing well due to high prices on these two metals as supply continues to be lower than demand.

26_PG_2
Varta share price | Source: Saxo Group
26_PG_3
Energy storage basket | Source: Bloomberg and Saxo Group

Defence: Russia’s mobilization lifts European defence stocks

Russia’s decision last week to mobilize its reserves to drastically increase its manpower in its war in Ukraine has increased the stakes in the war and also the demand for more weapons to Ukraine. Our defence basket was the best performing basket last week down only down 3.3% with the German military company Rheinmetall being the best performing up 6.9%. Analysts remain bullish on Rheinmetall with revenue set to increase from €5.7bn in 2021 to €9.7bn in 2025 as the EU is expected to significantly increase its military spending. It could very well be that the current growth estimates are too low depending on the future outcomes in the war in Ukraine.

Today we are also updating our defence basket by removing Ultra Electronics a UK-based defence and security company that has been bought by Cobham back in August. The new stock in the basket is Hensoldt which is a German military technology company which offers solutions across space, air, land, sea, security, and cyber.

26_PG_4
Rheinmetall share price | Source: Saxo Group
26_PG_5
Defence basket

Quarterly Outlook

01 /

  • Macro outlook: Trump 2.0: Can the US have its cake and eat it, too?

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro outlook: Trump 2.0: Can the US have its cake and eat it, too?

    John J. Hardy

    Global Head of Macro Strategy

  • Equity Outlook: The ride just got rougher

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equity Outlook: The ride just got rougher

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

  • China Outlook: The choice between retaliation or de-escalation

    Quarterly Outlook

    China Outlook: The choice between retaliation or de-escalation

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

  • Commodity Outlook: A bumpy road ahead calls for diversification

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: A bumpy road ahead calls for diversification

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

  • FX outlook: Tariffs drive USD strength, until...?

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX outlook: Tariffs drive USD strength, until...?

    John J. Hardy

    Global Head of Macro Strategy

  • Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Quarterly Outlook

    Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

  • Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    After a period of historically high equity index concentration driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' sto...
  • Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

  • Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    The Fed started the US rate cut cycle in Q3 and in this macro outlook we will explore how the rate c...
  • FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    As we enter the final quarter of 2024, currency markets are set for heightened turbulence due to US ...

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
Philip Heymans Alle 15
2900
Hellerup
Denmark

Contact Saxo

Select region

International
International

All trading and investing comes with risk, including but not limited to the potential to lose your entire invested amount.

Information on our international website (as selected from the globe drop-down) can be accessed worldwide and relates to Saxo Bank A/S as the parent company of the Saxo Bank Group. Any mention of the Saxo Bank Group refers to the overall organisation, including subsidiaries and branches under Saxo Bank A/S. Client agreements are made with the relevant Saxo entity based on your country of residence and are governed by the applicable laws of that entity's jurisdiction.

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.