⚡️ Energy overdrive

The US isn't so keen on Swiss watches | Energy's set for a bumper year | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for June 2nd in 3:13 minutes. 💚 Green is the new gold. So check out our chat with Daniel Naim – who’s leading the ESG charge at Fennel – on the very latest [Finimize Podcast](. [Listen in here]( Today's big stories - Swiss watch exports to the US dipped for the first time in two years - Three ace fund managers share their top investment ideas – [Read Now]( - Renewable energy might make its biggest-ever leap this year Time-Out [Time-Out] What’s going on here? The allure of Swiss luxury timepieces seems to be waning in the US, with April witnessing a slide in exports, according to recent industry [data](. What does this mean? Covid lockdowns left Americans with swollen wallets and a yearning for indulgence – and luxury wristwatches seemed to fit the bill just fine. The ensuing splurge on high-end timepieces vaulted the US to the top of the Swiss watch league, overtaking high-rolling China in 2021. But the hands of time took an unexpected turn this April, with Swiss watch exports to the US dialing back by 4.9%. That marked the first slowdown in over two years, sure – but it’s not all downbeat for Swiss watchmakers: overall exports rose by 6.8% in April, with shipments to China more than doubling compared to last year. Why should I care? The bigger picture: Worth watching. Luxury spending usually manages to hold its ground amidst economic turbulence, and that’s mainly because high-net-worth individuals – who dominate demand for pricy stuff – are less troubled by economic downturns. But if this slight hiccup in US luxury watch spending morphs into a trend, it might signal a rough road ahead for the broader US economy. After all, if the uber-wealthy are nervous enough to start tightening their purse strings, it could signal some seriously stormy weather for the average Joe. For markets: Scarcity factor. Investors have relied on luxury spending’s steady growth for years. But the sector’s an exclusive club, dominated by European behemoths and a few acclaimed boutique players. And members of that chic VIP list have stock prices that mirror their exorbitant offerings. This mightn’t worry investors who are playing the long game, provided demand – supported by things like strong stock markets – stands firm. But beware: in the nearer term, a luxury spending dip could leave those high valuations looking as inflated as a Birkin bag’s price tag. You might also like: [Why wearing your investments may be a timely idea](. Copy to share story: [/time-out]( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Time-Out&utm_campaign=daily-global-02-06-2023&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Where The Pros Would Invest A Lump Sum Now [Where The Pros Would Invest A Lump Sum Now]( [Photo of Reda Farran] Reda Farran, Analyst Once in a while, you stumble into [a little windfall]( – a bonus comes in at work, an investment pays off, or you come into a small inheritance. The question is: [what to do]( with it? With inflation so high, you’re probably better off [investing that money]( than leaving it to dwindle in real value in your bank account. Three leading wealth advisors recently shared their top investment calls with Bloomberg, and I’ve taken those views a step further, to help you [put their ideas into action](. That’s today’s Insight: [how you might invest a little windfall now.]( [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY TASTE Online entertainment is getting an AI makeover Technology can drive cars, learn languages, and recognise faces. Yet even though we have world-changing technology at our fingertips, we still spend hours scrolling through titles before deciding what to watch. That’s not just tiring, it’s practically archaic. But [Taste]( – [an all-in-one entertainment platform]( that knows just what you want – is on a mission to beat the “paradox of choice”, that feeling when more options actually leave you less satisfied. Taste’s [artificially intelligent algorithm]( scans tons of services to whip up [personalized feeds]( of movies and tv shows, compiling your top recommendations in one easy-to-use app. Nearly [one million entertainment-seekers]( are watching smart, not hard, with Taste – and with [a push into Smart TVs]( on the horizon, plenty more might ditch the wearisome scrolling for good. If you really want a bite of future entertainment, you can [invest in Taste]( – you’ll even [get 15% more as a bonus if you do it this week](. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. Watt’s Up [Watt’s Up] What’s going on here? The International Energy Agency (IEA) [predicted]( that this year will be a bright one for renewable energy. What does this mean? Pandemic-induced supply chain headaches put the brakes on renewables for a while – but now it’s full steam ahead once again, thanks to a little nudge from high oil and gas prices and some serious energy security concerns. That means the IEA thinks global renewable energy capacity will swell by a third in 2023: that amounts to the biggest yearly boost we’ve ever seen, equivalent to the power capacity of Germany and Spain combined. And while this is a concerted worldwide effort, China will keep leading the pack – driven in part by its promotion of massive solar projects. Why should I care? Zooming in: Working but winded. If the world keeps up this pace, we could have enough solar manufacturing capacity to meet the IEA’s net-zero emissions scenario come 2050. But it won’t be a cakewalk either: after all, infrastructure is lagging at the moment, meaning that government support will be crucial to keep things on track. Plus, investors are paying a lot of attention to profitability right now, and that’s got companies like Shell [re-evaluating]( underperforming green assets – even ones that might have potential in the long run. The bottom line, then: we’re still not shifting to renewables fast enough, especially with scientists warning that the Earth’s past certain safe limits for human health. The bigger picture: Equalizing energy. Trade and geopolitics could change drastically in a world powered mainly by renewables. See, renewable energy sources like solar and wind are more evenly spread across the globe than oil and gas – and that could leave countries sitting atop black gold with less room to throw their weight around. In theory, then, more of our energy would be produced closer to home, balancing power and reducing the need to ship nations’ resources across the world. You might also like: [Investors are ditching ESG-focused funds, but they might be missing a trick](. Copy to share story: [/watts-up]( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Watt’s Up&utm_campaign=daily-global-02-06-2023&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things." – T. S. Eliot (an American-English poet, dramatist and literary critic) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY SWISSQUOTE A portfolio with a purpose It’s never easy watching your investments fluctuate, even if you’ve been doing it for years. But maybe if you knew [your strategy was doing good in the world](, those short-term blips wouldn’t feel as bad. That’s what [Swissquote]( believes, at least. And [Swissquote’s putting its tech]( where its mouth is: you can trade a number of different ways [on the platform](, one of which is based on [ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings](. That means you can [pull together a portfolio that’s working for the Earth]( – hello, feelgood factor. Plus, you can specifically [filter out the ones]( you’d rather avoid. So if you want to [give your portfolio a purpose, you could do it with Swissquote](. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live 🥳 Coming Up This Week... All events in UK time. 🌎 [The ESG Revolution: Investing with Purpose](: 6pm, June 8th 👀 And After That... 🤔 [What's Next For Crypto Investors](: 7pm, June 19th 🔥 [Co-Trading: A New Way To Beat The Market](: 5pm, June 26th 🙋‍♀️ [Finimize Ladies Investing Club](: 6.30pm, July 13th 🎉 [Modern Investor Summit 2023](: 12pm, December 5th and 6th 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Bye bye, beer. Muscling up might mean ditching [booze](. 2. Higher and hire. The Great Resignation is [over](. 3. Mongolian Rhapsody. Queen’s [smash hit]( once went by a different name. 4. Medieval mirth. The roots of British humor [go back further]( than you might think. 5. The daddy of all rivalries. De Niro and Pacino’s latest [competition]( has a twist. ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. 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