Let Sleeping Dinosaurs Lie
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Hello there,
Volatility is the word of the week with the stock market resembling someone on their fifth cup of coffee of the day. It’s been an overwhelming news cycle for investors between the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, commodity prices going haywire, rising inflation expectations, and the Federal Reserve planning to “carefully” raise interest rates for the first time in three years at its meeting next week. (Here’s what that may mean for you.)
Renewable energy stocks and ETFs jumped this week on the news that the US was banning Russian oil imports. Oil prices are already up over 60% this year, and while further shortfalls may slow the green transition in the short-term, many analysts see the shift to energy independence in the US and EU spurring the long-term growth of low-carbon, cleaner alternatives. We cover a “corny” one in depth in today’s edition. There’s no way of knowing how things will turn out, and there’s a lot of speculation going on, so be careful about losing your (clean) shirt.
While the volatility and the news from the war in Ukraine are driving the headlines, don’t forget that the basics of investing do not fly out the window during hectic times. That’s why we keep updating key resources that can help you as you start out on your values-aligned investing journey. Some that we’ve found particularly relevant (and grounding) over the past two weeks:
- How to Research ESG Stocks and Funds
- Investing in Women: Gender Lens Guide
- How to Practice Faith-Based Investing
- Unpacking the ESG Alphabet Soup
And for when terms and acronyms pop up that make your eyes glaze over: our ever-growing glossary of common terms.
News you can use
- Companies continue to leave or reduce their exposure in Russia, with some notable exceptions documented by a Yale professor. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Starbucks are among the latest to announce that they are suspending or reducing operations in Russia. JUST Capital is keeping track of company responses as well.
- Here’s a live shot of electronic vehicle makers watching the price of nickel, aluminum, and palladium lately. All three metals are used in EV batteries and hit record highs in value this week. Nickel, which is also used in stainless steel and largely comes from Russia, briefly crossed $100,000 per metric ton.
- After crypto donations, economic support for Ukraine is coming from another unlikely source: Airbnb. People have booked more than 61,000 nights worth nearly $2 million to show solidarity (they won’t be showing up) by using the platform to put money in the pockets of Ukrainian homeowners. The company is waiving all host and guest fees in the war-torn country.
