The technology laden Nasdaq-100 rose 26.6% in 2021, on the heels of the massive 47.6% in 2020. Powered by new technology such as Lucid up 280%, Biotechs such as Moderna up 143%. Stay at Home stock reversed this year. Peloton was this year’s biggest loser, down -76.43 after being up 434% in 2020.
The Nadaq-100 Index includes the largest 100 non-financial stocks by market cap in the full Nasdaq Composite Index It includes Chinese companies that aren’t included in the S&P 500.
Risk takers pushed the Nasdaq index to all times highs in 2021 as vaccine optimism and the prospects of further fiscal stimulus in the US fueled the mood. Helped by massive action by the Fed and fiscal stimulus nudged stocks dramatically to close the year with records.
Top performers in the Nasdaq 100 in 2021
Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) up 280.12% on the year.
The electric vehicle technology company came public via SPAC, Churchill Capital Corp IV. The company has a $59B enterprise value and is pre-gross profit, showing investor enthusiasm for these sorts of companies. Rivian Automotive’s IPO late in 2021 also highlighted this euphoria.
Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) up 143.11% on the year.
The vaccine maker became a household name for its first approved mRNA vaccine, which has been one of the key vaccines in the Covid-19 vaccination drive.
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) up 141.97% on the year
The software and cybersecurity company finished 144% higher this year after a 39% gain last year,
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) up 125.29% on the year
Rose to be the most valuable semiconductor company in the world, as excitement around its graphic processing units dominance and the need for computing power pushed it 126% higher. Other Semis were in the top 10, Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) shares rose 85%. Applied Materials Inc (NASDAQ:AMAT) and KLA-Tencor Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) rose 83% for the year while KLAC came in 10th with a 66% gain.
Worse performers in the Nasdaq 100 in 2021
Peloton Interactive (NASDAQ: PTON) Down -76.43% on the year
The exercise equipment maker is faced with people wanting to return to gyms and an unclear outlook for how many people are left who haven’t bought a Peloton bike or signed up for a subscription.
Zoom Video Communications (NASDAQ:ZM) Down -45.48% on the year
An aborted acquisition of Five9 (NASDAQ: FIVN) hurt as they met guidance and profitability. However questions over growth and who might be left to sign up for Zoom, and with Zoom fatigue as a cultural meme, it didn’t matter, and shares dropped 45% on the year, the 3rd biggest drop on the year.
DocuSign (NASDAQ:DOCU) Down -31.48% on the year
DocuSign lowered guidance, shares dropping 31%.
Splunk (NASDAQ: SPLK), Down -31.89% on the year
Splunk transitioned to a cloud-based model and got a new CEO. It struggled competing with DataDog also, a reminder of the increasing competition in SaaS.
China companies were hit in 2021 with new regulations and capital outflows, and concerns over the real estate market in China.
Pinduoduo (NASDAQ:PDD) dropping 67%, Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) dropped 31%, and e-commerce retailer JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) dropped 20%.
Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) Down -28.35% on the year
Company had delays in releasing new game titles and had both senior management sexual misconduct allegations to address as well as allegations that management ignored the allegations.
MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) Down -19.51% on the year
Felt market (in)digestion in 2021, as the Latin American e-commerce retailer dropped 20%.
PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) Down -19.48% on the year
Paypal also felt indigestion, down 20% after more than doubling in 2020, though a number of fintech upstarts has pressured incumbents, and PayPal may be old enough to qualify as one.
How Global Indices fared in 2021
- The German DAX Finished Up for the Third Straight Positive Year up 15.79% for 2021 – TRADERS COMMUNITY
- Spain’s IBEX Worse Performing European Stock Market in 2021, Finished Up 7.9% – TRADERS COMMUNITY
- FTSE 100 Recovers in 2021 To Be up 14.3% After 2020 Annus Horribilis – TRADERS COMMUNITY
- France’s CAC 40 Bourse Lead Europe Higher in 2021 up 29% For the Year – TRADERS COMMUNITY
- Italy’s FTSE MIB Borsa Italiana Closed Up 23% in 2021 – TRADERS COMMUNITY
- The Australian ASX 200 Stock Market Closed Up 13% in 2021 With Lithium Plays Starring – TRADERS COMMUNITY
- The Dow Finished Up 18.7% in 2021 Led by Home Depot and Microsoft – TRADERS COMMUNITY
Top 20 Nasdaq 100 Stocks in 2020
(At Close December 31 2020)
How Global Indices fared in 2020
- In the U.S. the S&P 500 and Dow closed at record levels at the year end.
- The tech heavy Nasdaq led the charge in 2020 up 43.64%, the largest gain since 2009
- S&P was up 16.26%. Since 2010 the S&P is up 240%, though 57% of the gain in the S&P was from just three stocks Microsoft, Amazon and Apple
- The Dow is closed up 7.25% after being down most tof the year, the DJIA was down over -36% at the March low
- In Europe the best performer was the German DAX which rose +3.6% for the year.
- Spain’s IBEX 30 was an even worse performer than the FTSE 100 down -15.5%.
- Italy’s MIB fell -5.4%,
- The French CAC 40 fell -7.1%
- The British FTSE 100 dumped. -14.3%
- The Australian ASX 200 Stock Market Closed Down 1.5% in 2020
- Japan’s Nikkei gained 16%,
- China’s Shanghai composite rose ripped 14% during 2020.
The euro however rallied against the US dollar as massive US QE weakened the dollar and relief that the UK-EU free trade deal had been agreed boosted the euro. The stronger euro helepd attract overseas investors to the US stock market.
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