Key Takeaways MDU Resources raised its quarterly dividend to 14 cents per share, payable Oct. 1, 2025.The increase boosts the annualized dividend to 56 cents, with a yield of 3.16%.MDU has delivered uninterrupted dividends for 87 years, underscoring its reliability.MDU Resources (MDU) announced that its board of directors has approved a 7.7% increase in its quarterly dividend rate. The new dividend rate will be 14 cents per share (compared with the previous quarter’s 13 cents), payable on Oct. 1, 2025, to s ...

Electricite de France will likely cut nuclear power production in northern parts of the country this week because of shallow waters on the Meuse River https://t.co/tsvt3vXcPN ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy today announced $550,000 in grants for environmental impact programs in North Carolina. The funding will support a variety of projects aimed at enhancing and preserving the state's natural surroundings. Zoom out: Duke Energy Foundation has provided grants totaling $6.6 million to support environmental impact programs across North Carolina over the past five years. Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy's North Carolina president: "North Carolina's natural surro ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The report focuses on the US Equity Strategy, particularly the S&P 500 index and its performance outlook for 2025, highlighting macroeconomic factors and sector-specific dynamics. Core Insights and Arguments - **Market Outlook**: The initial outlook for 2025 anticipated a flat first half followed by improvement in the second half, influenced by political policies. The S&P 500 year-end target is set at 6600, with a mid-2026 target of 6900, reflecting a return to earlier levels. The full-year index earnings estimate has been raised to $272 from $261, surpassing the current consensus of $267 [4][7][10]. - **Bull and Bear Scenarios**: - **Bull Case**: A target of 7200, driven by a tech/AI-led surge and favorable macro conditions. - **Bear Case**: A target of 5600, reflecting severe tariff impacts and mild recession risks [5][10]. - **Sector Recommendations**: - **Overweight**: Utilities, Information Technology, Communication Services, Financials. - **Underweight**: Consumer Discretionary, Energy, Consumer Staples, Materials [11]. - **Earnings Growth**: The "Mag 7" (major tech companies) continues to be pivotal for returns, with a projected EPS growth of 20% for 2025, while the broader index is expected to grow at 9% [12][44]. Additional Important Content - **Valuation Metrics**: Current P/E ratios for the S&P 500 are noted, with a base case P/E of 21.4x and a bull case of 22.8x, indicating a potential for growth in valuations as macro headwinds diminish [5][26]. - **Market Sentiment**: The Levkovich Index indicates a state of euphoria, historically correlating with negative forward returns, suggesting caution in the current market environment [67]. - **Buyback Activity**: Aggregate buybacks for the S&P 500 are projected at approximately $950 billion, reflecting a 14% year-on-year increase, as companies may prioritize share repurchases over capital expenditures due to tariff concerns [74]. - **Capex Trends**: Capital expenditures are expected to grow, with a notable increase in growth capex, particularly in the tech sector, indicating a shift towards investment in expansion rather than mere replacement [79]. - **Operational Efficiency**: Companies in the S&P 500 have managed to increase sales per employee while keeping labor costs stable, which is crucial for maintaining productivity and supporting equity market growth [82]. This summary encapsulates the essential insights and projections from the conference call, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future expectations for the US equity market and the S&P 500 index.

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The report focuses on the **China Economics** sector, particularly addressing the **deflationary trends** and economic growth challenges in China as of August 2025 [1][5]. Core Insights and Arguments - **Growth Slowdown**: There was a sharper-than-expected growth dip in July, with real GDP growth projected to slow to **4.5% YoY** in Q3, down from **5.2% YoY** in Q2. This slowdown is attributed to a decline in infrastructure capital expenditure by **7.3 percentage points** and a drop in durable goods sales due to weather disruptions and a pause in consumption trade-in subsidies [2][3][7]. - **Future Projections**: While a mild rebound in year-over-year growth is anticipated for August, driven by fading weather disruptions and resumed trade-in subsidies, a further slowdown is expected in September due to the payback of export front-loading and a higher fiscal spending base [3][7]. - **Policy Measures**: Incremental policy moves are expected to provide a floor for the economy. The Chinese government is implementing a measured anti-involution push and accelerating consumption support, which is seen as a constructive response to the "3D" challenges facing the economy. A supplementary budget of **Rmb0.5-1 trillion** is anticipated to mitigate the growth slowdown [4][7]. Important Data Points - **July Activity Indicators**: - Industrial Production (IP) growth was **5.7%** in July, down from **6.8%** in June. - Manufacturing sector growth decreased to **6.2%** from **7.4%** in June. - Fixed Asset Investment (FAI) showed a year-to-date growth of **1.6%**, with a year-over-year decline of **5.2%** in July [6]. - **Retail Sales**: Nominal retail sales growth was **3.7%** in July, down from **4.8%** in June, with auto sales declining by **1.5%** [6]. Other Noteworthy Content - The report emphasizes the importance of monitoring the **property sector**, which continues to face challenges, with sales down **7.2%** and new starts down **9.1%** in July [6]. - The analysis suggests that while the economic outlook remains cautious, the government's proactive measures could help stabilize the market narrative and support growth in the medium term [4][7].

Core Points - Duke Energy has submitted a final license application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Bad Creek Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Station, aiming to extend its operations for an additional 50 years [1][4] - The Bad Creek facility, operational since 1991, serves as a significant energy storage solution, functioning as the largest "battery" in the company's system [2][7] - The company has recently completed upgrades to the Bad Creek facility, adding 320 megawatts of carbon-free energy, increasing its total capacity to 1,680 megawatts [4] Company Overview - Duke Energy, a Fortune 150 company, serves 8.6 million customers across multiple states, owning 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity [6] - Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary, supplies electricity to 2.9 million customers across a 24,000-square-mile area in North and South Carolina [5] Industry Context - The extension of the Bad Creek facility aligns with South Carolina's energy infrastructure goals, supporting economic growth and ensuring reliable energy for communities [3][8] - The company is committed to a diverse energy portfolio, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and energy storage, as part of its ambitious energy transition strategy [9]

Market Trends & Industry Dynamics - The AI era is driving a new electricity super cycle, shifting Wall Street's focus to electric power stocks [1] - Data centers' electricity demand is surging, with the International Energy Agency projecting a doubling by 2030 to 945 terawatt hours (TWh), equivalent to the annual consumption of 32 TSMC factories [9] - Reshoring of American manufacturing, driven by acts like the "CHIP Act," is increasing electricity demand [10][11] - A global energy transition from fossil fuels to electricity is further boosting demand [11][12] - The annual growth rate of capital expenditures of North American utilities has doubled from 6% before 2021 to 12%, and the total amount is expected to exceed US$200 billion in 2025 [12] GE Vernova's Position & Strategy - GE Vernova's stock price has risen more than 5 times since its independent listing in April 2024 [1] - GE Vernova's backlog of orders has exceeded US$120 billion, more than three times its annual sales [2] - GE Vernova holds approximately one-third share of the global gas turbine market, with over 7,000 installed gas turbines contributing approximately 30% of global electricity [4] - GE Vernova is developing small modular reactors (SMRs) in collaboration with Hitachi, positioning itself for future nuclear energy demand from AI data centers [4] - GE Vernova is providing customized fast power generation solutions for data centers, embedding itself in the AI infrastructure supply chain [4] Risks & Considerations - GE Vernova's high valuation has largely priced in growth expectations driven by AI, posing a potential risk of correction if performance falters [19][20] - The company's close link to the AI sector makes it vulnerable to market concerns about a computing power bubble [20]

8月份未过半，险资举牌次数就达到6次，将年内举牌次数推升至29次，不仅大幅超2024年的20次，也超 过2020年的26次，仅次于2015年的62次，至少锁定历史第二高。记者梳理，险资29次举牌涉及22家上市 公司，其中5家A股和17家H股。从举牌的行业来看，主要为银行、公用事业和能源，其中银行占据了一 半以上的份额，有7家银行被举牌，举牌次数达到14次，招商银行H股、邮储银行H股和郑州银行H股分 别被举牌三次。 （21财经） ...

I am a seasoned investor and financial journalist with over twenty years of experience in sell-side equity research, corporate and project finance, M&A and valuations, focusing on Canadian electric utilities, and infrastructure sectors. For ten years I worked as an equity research analyst at global banks including UniCredit Securities and HSBC Global Markets. As an analyst, I was top-rated by the Institutional Investor and Extel surveys. I was also responsible for strategic and economic analysis of capital ...

As of Aug. 12, 2025, two stocks in the utilities sector could be flashing a real warning to investors who value momentum as a key criteria in their trading decisions.The RSI is a momentum indicator, which compares a stock’s strength on days when prices go up to its strength on days when prices go down. When compared to a stock’s price action, it can give traders a better sense of how a stock may perform in the short term. An asset is typically considered overbought when the RSI is above 70, according to Ben ...