The utility sector was the best performing slice of the S&P 500 Index pie in the first quarter of 2014. The Utility Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLU), which tracks 32 large-cap utility infrastructure companies, posted a gain of 10 percent through the first three months of the year. The three largest holdings in this ETF include: Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK), Dominion Resources (NYSE: D), and NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE).
This performance was largely attributable to stabilization in interest rates coupled with a shift in investor demand from high beta companies to a stalwart sector that is known for its defensive properties. The gain in utility stocks comes on the heels of a relatively mediocre ...
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