New York, Feb 14, 2026, 13:10 EST — The market is now closed.
Utilities names in the U.S. surged Friday, snapping up gains as softer inflation data sent Treasury yields lower and drew buyers to the sector. The Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) jumped 2.8% to $46.50. S&P 500 utilities? Up 2.69%—the biggest climb among all 11 major sectors for the day. (Reuters)
This hits home for utilities, which are prized for reliable dividends and steady cash. Investors size up those payouts against government bond yields. As bond yields dip, utilities don’t look so pricey. The group usually draws buyers.
The timing isn’t great for positioning, either. U.S. stocks have been swinging around big tech, while a long weekend slices into the calendar, giving investors less runway to reposition ahead of the next wave of macro and earnings events.
Stocks rallied Friday after fresh numbers showed the Consumer Price Index up 0.2% in January, bringing annual inflation to 2.4%. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs, climbed 2.5% year-over-year—the smallest uptick in almost five years, according to Reuters. “Price pressures remain a little too hot for comfort,” Edward Jones senior economist James McCann said, pointing to the underlying figures. (Reuters)
Bond traders wasted no time—yields on the 10-year Treasury slid to 4.05% from 4.11% at Thursday’s close, Investopedia said. That drop took a bit of the squeeze off sectors loaded with dividends. (Investopedia)
Utilities are seeing fresh momentum as power demand climbs, fueled partly by data centers. Exelon, which supplies more than 10.9 million customers via its regulated utilities, is planning to spend $41.3 billion on capital projects over the coming four years. For 2026, the company is guiding for adjusted earnings between $2.81 and $2.91 a share. “We are well-positioned to deliver annualized earnings growth near the top end of 5% to 7% through 2029,” CFO Jeanne Jones told investors. (Reuters)
PG&E has narrowed its 2026 profit range, raising the lower end of its guidance while flagging a surge in data center activity, Reuters reported. The utility now counts approximately 3.6 gigawatts of data center projects in final engineering, up by about 2 gigawatts since its third-quarter update. Several of those projects have been pushed further along the pipeline. (Reuters)
Dividend news also grabbed attention. NextEra Energy’s board bumped its quarterly payout to $0.6232 per share—a 10% lift from the same period last year, the company said. (NextEra Energy Newsroom)
No trading on Monday — NYSE markets shut down Feb. 16 for Washington’s Birthday. The holiday bumps the next session to Tuesday, per the exchange’s holiday calendar. (NYSE)
Macro risk isn’t gone for long. Next up: The Federal Reserve will release minutes from its Jan. 27–28 meeting on Feb. 18 at 2:00 p.m.—a data point investors will scrutinize to see how officials are balancing inflation gains with the argument for possible rate cuts before year-end. (Federal Reserve)
Utilities have earnings in focus again. Evergy plans to report its fourth-quarter numbers before markets open on Feb. 19, followed by its call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Investors will be watching guidance, capital spending, and load growth. (Evergy | Newsroom)
But that lever cut both ways. Should yields push higher on any upside inflation surprise, or if Fed minutes come in more hawkish than traders are bracing for, rate-sensitive utilities might surrender part of their late-week rally.
The sector keeps its momentum going into the break, eyes on two markers: Fed minutes drop Feb. 18, while Evergy’s update lands Feb. 19.
