NEW YORK, January 17, 2026, 14:44 EST — Market closed
- The Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) dropped 0.5% on Friday, closing at $43.39.
- Constellation Energy and Vistra tumbled sharply after investors weighed in on new PJM power pricing proposals and capacity developments.
- U.S. markets remain closed on Monday. Traders will be back Tuesday, focused on how PJM and regulators proceed.
U.S. utility stocks closed the week in the red, with the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) slipping 0.5% to $43.39 on Friday. Constellation Energy took a sharp hit, dropping roughly 9.8%, while Vistra fell about 7.4%, heavy losses that dragged the sector down into the final bell. (Barchart)
The Trump administration has called on PJM Interconnection — the grid operator serving 67 million customers across 13 states plus Washington, D.C. — to hold an emergency power auction aimed at preventing rolling blackouts amid rising data-center demand, Reuters reported. Officials also want to cap charges in PJM’s capacity market, where generators are paid to stay ready for future demand, after a recent auction saw prices spike over 800% compared to the previous year. The plan includes making data centers fund new generation built for their use—even if they don’t actually consume it—an idea known as “bring your own generation.”
Utilities are in the spotlight as inflation concerns collide with the surge in AI-driven energy demand. Traders face a shorter window to respond since U.S. markets will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, pushing price adjustments to Tuesday. (New York Stock Exchange)
Wall Street ended Friday mostly flat, while Treasury yields climbed following President Donald Trump’s hint that economic adviser Kevin Hassett might stay put, cutting chances he’ll be tapped to run the Federal Reserve. The 10-year Treasury yield rose about 6.7 basis points to 4.227%. Investors remain cautious ahead of upcoming earnings, with Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, describing markets as “flat-lining.” (Reuters)
Constellation and Vistra aren’t minor players in XLU’s lineup—they account for roughly 7.9% and 4.3% of the ETF’s portfolio as of Jan. 15, per State Street’s fund data. NextEra Energy, Southern Co, and Duke Energy also rank among the largest holdings. These names typically respond more to regulated returns and interest rates rather than wholesale power prices. (SSGA)
Regulated utilities closed higher Friday, while independent power producers slipped. NextEra climbed 1.75%, Dominion Energy added 1.31%, and American Electric Power was up 0.47%, according to MarketWatch data. The sector overall remained uneven, as gains in rate-regulated companies couldn’t fully offset losses among competitive generators. (MarketWatch)
Power producers linked to wholesale pricing saw steep drops. According to Investopedia, Constellation and Vistra fell after news broke that the administration aims to have tech giants back new power plants via long-term contracts in PJM. On the flip side, GE Vernova, an energy equipment maker, climbed on hopes of stronger turbine demand. (Investopedia)
PJM rolled out a plan Friday requiring new large power users to either bring their own generation or face early curtailment under a “connect and manage” system — meaning they can hook up to the grid but will be the first to get cut during tight supply. The company said it will submit proposals to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. CEO David Mills emphasized that this isn’t a simple “yes/no” decision on data centers. (Reuters)
But the timeline remains uncertain for traders pricing it now. Capstone analysts noted the governors’ and federal officials’ statement “lacks binding authority,” and estimated it could take six to 12 months before an emergency auction occurs, even on an accelerated track. (Utilitydive)
Rates remain a key swing factor. Utilities tend to act like bond proxies since their dividends vie with Treasury yields. That means a further rise in long-term yields could weigh on valuations, even if the policy narrative softens.
Trading picks up again Tuesday, Jan. 20, as utilities desks zero in on auction mechanics and any shifts toward price caps in PJM’s capacity market. Market watchers will also be parsing early hints from PJM and federal regulators about what filings will emerge—and what might get softened.
