The eighth sure thing was that, with non-U.S. developed market and emerging market
economies generally growing at a
slower pace than the U.S.
economy (and with many emerging markets hurt by weak commodity prices,
slower growth
in China's
economy, the Fed tightening monetary policy and a rising dollar), international developed market stocks would
underperform U.S. stocks
in 2017.
The infant solar power companies, however, must gain their foothold by taking business away from the incumbent and politically powerful coal, natural gas and nuclear power providers, at a time when overall growth
in U.S. electricity demand is still
slowed by an
underperforming economy.