Utilities have taken flight in recent weeks. The catalyst? Sharply lower Treasury yields. The comparative interest rate trade now favors popular income plays in the equity space. In fact, on the year-on-year view, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (Freelance Financial Writer | Investments | Markets | Personal Finance | RetirementI create written content used in various formats including articles, blogs, emails, and social media for financial advisors and investment firms in a cost-efficient way. My passi ...

Core Insights - Utilities sector has seen significant gains recently, driven by sharply lower Treasury yields, making equity income plays more attractive [1] Group 1: Market Dynamics - The comparative interest rate trade now favors popular income plays in the equity space, particularly utilities [1] - The Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF has shown a year-on-year performance improvement, reflecting the sector's appeal amid changing interest rates [1]

Core Insights - The article focuses on industry metrics in the utilities sector, providing a top-down analysis based on value, quality, and momentum [1] Group 1: Industry Analysis - The analysis aims to assist in evaluating sector ETFs, specifically the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF [1] - The article emphasizes the importance of quantitative analysis in understanding market dynamics within the utilities sector [1] Group 2: Author Background - The author, Fred Piard, has over 30 years of experience in technology and has been investing in data-driven systematic strategies since 2010 [1] - Fred Piard runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value, focusing on quality dividend stocks and tech innovation [1]

Core Insights - The article provides a top-down analysis of the utilities sector, focusing on value, quality, and momentum metrics, which may assist in evaluating sector ETFs like the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF [1] Group 1: Sector Analysis - The analysis emphasizes the importance of value, quality, and momentum metrics in assessing the utilities sector [1] Group 2: Author Background - The author, Fred Piard, PhD, has over 30 years of experience in technology and has been investing in data-driven systematic strategies since 2010 [1] - Fred Piard runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value, which focuses on quality dividend stocks and innovative tech companies [1]

Core Insights - The article focuses on industry metrics in the utilities sector, providing a top-down analysis based on value, quality, and momentum [1] - It aims to assist in analyzing sector ETFs, specifically the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF [1] Group 1: Analyst Background - Fred Piard, PhD, is a quantitative analyst with over 30 years of experience in technology and has been investing in data-driven systematic strategies since 2010 [1] - He runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value, which shares a portfolio invested in quality dividend stocks and innovative tech companies [1] Group 2: Investment Strategies - The article includes market risk indicators, a real estate strategy, a bond strategy, and an income strategy in closed-end funds [1]

Energy Sector Performance - Energy stocks are the worst performing sector, showing a 2.0% loss in afternoon trading [1] - Diamondback Energy, Inc. (FANG) and ONEOK Inc (OKE) are lagging with losses of 6.0% and 5.4% respectively [1] - The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) is down 1.7% on the day but up 4.77% year-to-date [1] - Year-to-date, Diamondback Energy, Inc. is up 14.21% and ONEOK Inc is up 31.80% [1] - FANG and OKE together make up approximately 6.4% of the underlying holdings of XLE [1] Utilities Sector Performance - The Utilities sector is the next worst performing sector, showing minimal gains [2] - Vistra Corp (VST) and Constellation Energy Corp (CEG) have losses of 2.5% and 1.3% respectively [2] - The Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) is down 0.3% in midday trading but up 28.76% year-to-date [2] - Year-to-date, Vistra Corp is up 203.10% and Constellation Energy Corp is up 122.88% [2] - VST and CEG together account for approximately 10.1% of the underlying holdings of XLU [2] Overall Market Snapshot - Seven sectors are up on the day while the Energy sector is down [3] - A relative stock price performance chart compares the performance of various sectors [3] Sector Performance Summary - Materials sector is up 2.2%, Industrial up 1.4%, Services up 1.3%, Consumer Products up 1.2%, Technology & Communications up 1.0%, Healthcare up 0.5%, Financial up 0.2%, Utilities at -0.0%, and Energy at -2.0% [4]

Group 1 - The Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) is experiencing its best two-day rally since May, indicating a positive trend in the utilities sector [1] - This rally is not directly linked to falling interest rates, as Treasury yields have stabilized [1] Group 2 - The article emphasizes the importance of analyzing stock market sectors, ETFs, and economic data to identify investment opportunities [1]

Group 1 - The article provides a top-down analysis of the utilities sector, focusing on subsector metrics related to value, quality, and momentum [1] - It aims to assist in analyzing sector ETFs, specifically the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF [1] - The author, Fred Piard, has over 30 years of experience in technology and has been investing in data-driven systematic strategies since 2010 [1] Group 2 - The article does not contain any stock, option, or derivative positions in the companies mentioned, nor does it plan to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours [2] - The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the opinions of Seeking Alpha as a whole [3]