Each week I review the previous week’s performance of the WilderHill New Energy Global Innovation Index, the NEX. For investors, the NEX is tracked by the PowerShares Global Clean Energy Fund (PBD: 9.68 0.00 0.00%). The index consists of companies in the clean and renewable energy fields with a global perspective.

For the week ending on Friday, the NEX was down 0.2%. The S&P500 was off just 0.1% and the NASDAQ gained 0.6% in comparison.

Solar energy was the best performing sector, gaining 3.2%. The energy efficiency was also in positive territory, gaining 2%. The worst performing sector was hydrogen and fuel cell producers, dropping 4.9%. Wind power was also becalmed, losing 3.6%. Biofuels and biomass were also off 1.7%, with ethanol companies pulling down the sector. See VeraSun Energy (VSE: 0.00 N/A N/A) below and it’s 22% loss.

Here are the top and bottom stocks from the index for last week:

NEX top gainers since 16/06/08
American Superconductor AMSC + 17.9%
Energy Conversion Devices ENER + 17.6%
First Solar FSLR + 13.3%
Capstone Turbine CPST + 12.0%
Kingspan Group KSP + 9.8%

NEX top losers since 16/06/08
Power-One PWER - 22.5%
VeraSun Energy VSE - 22.4%
Zhejiang Yankon Group 600261 - 16.6%
Xingjiang Goldwind Science & Technology 2202 - 15.6%
Arima Optoelectronics 6289 - 13.9%

Note: I have a long position in VSE.

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