After an up and down month, the Dow Jones Utility Average’s year-to-date return is now just 5 percent. That’s still a percentage point better than the Dow Jones’ Select Dividend Index. But utilities are now well behind the Nasdaq 100’s 21.7 percent and the S&P 500 at 17.5 percent.
Interest rates remain the key driver of utility stock returns. And with money market funds yielding north of 5 percent and the Federal Reserve still not pivoting to lower rates, price momentum is against us.
My feature article highlights the generally lackluster sector-by-sector first half 2024 action. But as I also point out, the utility business still has a great deal of growth momentum.
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