Green investing companies surged yesterday, with the S&P Green Energy Index up 2.4% driven by stronger-than-expected Q1 earnings from solar and EV manufacturers. Analysts see bullish momentum as carbon credit prices rise, potentially lifting valuations by 8-12% over the next quarter. Even before Micron 's (NASDAQ: MU) earnings report on Sept. 23, shares of the memory chip manufacturer had already logged an impressive month-to-date gain. Strong results and guidance ultimately led the stock even higher to close out September. Micron stock gained 40.6% last month, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence , largely thanks to booming demand for artificial intelligence data centers. In North America and Asia-Pacific, almost half of investors say a desire to support positive real-world outcomes is driving their growing interest, at 44% and 46% respectively. In Europe, financial motivations take precedence, with 40% citing the belief that sustainable investments can deliver stronger returns than traditional options as their top reason. ESG funds focused on green investing companies recorded $4.3B in weekly inflows, the largest since January. Historical correlation suggests sustained inflow could lift sector prices by 5% in the near term.
