I noted one such divergence between the oil market and the clean energy sector. They usually are highly correlated because higher oil prices makes investment in alternative energy technologies more attractive. Early last year, as oil went on its historic bull run, the correlation broke down. I saw an opportunity for a pairs trade emerge. The chart below shows the divergence:
Looking deeper into the pair, the correlation coefficient is 0.49, which is quite a bit lower than the 0.70 that some people consider a minimum for a significant correlation. However, I like the logical argument behind the correlation and attribute the low coefficient to my small data set that only goes back to 2006.
The point of this article is that, sometimes, markets can irrationally diverge for longer than you can stay solvent. Even a hedged pairs trade can be very risky under leverage. But, if you’re careful and patient, you can make money in a logical way!