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With another month of market turmoil coming to an end I thought I would take a few moments to give readers a look into what I've been up to in the month of November with my two portfolios. Yield, yield and more yield was one major theme for the month as stock prices came down even further than I expected them to after a horrible September and disastrous October in equity markets. What's become immediately apparent to me while watching the markets the past few months has been the glaring distance of spreads between the bid & ask prices for equities. Investors looking for immediate liquidity have been more than happy to unload their shares at very attractive valuations for the long-term investor. Opportunities have been surprisingly swift; especially in the preferred share market with valuations of highly regarded issues yielding at times well above historical spreads. While an income investor won't want to overload their portfolio with preferred shares[More...]

Filed under: Other issues, Duke Energy (DUK)

The latest trend in the utilities sector could deliver an unpleasant 'jolt' (pun intended) to electric power generation companies, if it continues.

U.S. electricity consumption unexpectedly dropped in Q2 and Q3, on a year-over-year basis, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday (subscription required), although The Journal cautioned that the data is early and incomplete.

Major electric power suppliers Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL), Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) all reported declines in residential electricity use in recent quarters, compared to the previous year, The Journal reported.

An electric puzzle

Economist David H. Wang told BloggingStocks Friday electricity demand is a function of more factors than one might assume. The economic cycle, seasons, weather extremes, demographics, household formation, increased efficiency, technological change, and even popular culture trends are among the major factors affecting electricity demand.

Wang believes the major factor in the recent dip is the current U.S. recession. "I will defer to more-comprehensive U.S. Energy Department and power association data later, but I think without question the economic downturn is a major factor. When people lose jobs, many tend to give up housing and live with roommates or relatives. This decreases electricity use. Also, home foreclosures result in empty homes, which obviously use less energy than occupied homes."

Continue reading U.S. utilities encounter a shocker: A dip in power demand

U.S. utilities encounter a shocker: A dip in power demand originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Highlighted stocks include Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Duke Energy (DUK), MBIA (MBI) and Sunoco (SUN) Important note: Keep your focus on the trends in estimates, not on the actual projections! An estimate in motion tends to stay in motion. Earnings estimates are dropping rapidly, and nearly across the board. This is particularly true for 2009 estimates[More...]

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at the major news of the day on Wall Street.

Companies featured in this segment: Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), Sunoco Incorporated (NYSE:SUN), Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC), ITT Corporation (NYSE:ITT), GAZPROM OAO (OTC:OGZPY), Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (ABD:TAQA), Petro-Canada (NYSE:PCZ), Areva (EPA:CEI), Electricite de France (EPA:EDF), British Energy Group plc (LSE:BGY), Centrica (OTC:CPYYY), E.ON AG (OTC:EONGY), RWE (OTC:RWEOY), Iberdrola SA (MCE:IBE), Suez SA (EPA:SZE), and Constellation Energy Group Incorporated (NYSE:CEG).

Companies featured in this segment: Cabot Corporation (NYSE:CBT), Lukoil (OTC:LUKOY), Ferrexpo plc (LSE:FXPO), Tesoro Corporation (NYSE:TSO), The Timken Company (NYSE:TKR), Daido Steel Company Limited (TYO:5471), Bharat Forge Limited (BSE:500493), Alstom SA (EPA:ALO), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BSE:500103), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (TYO:7011), Larsen & Toubro Limited (BSE:500510), Toshiba Plant Systems and Services Corporation (TYO:1983), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), Suzlon Energy (BSE:532667), BP plc (NYSE:BP), Rio Tinto plc (NYSE:RTP), Foster Wheeler (NASDAQ:FWLT), SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC), Steel Authority of India Limited (BSE:500113), Tata Steel Limited (BSE:500470), ArcelorMittal (NYSE:MT), Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) (NYSE:PKX), JSW Steel Limited (BSE:500228), Essar Steel Limited (BSE:500627), Jindal Steel and Power Limited (BSE: 532286), and Ispat Industries (BSE:500305).

Companies featured in this segment: Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), Alstom SA (EPA:ALO), Areva (EPA:CEI), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BSE:500103), NTPC Limited (BSE:532555), Siemens AG (NYSE:SI), Larsen & Toubro Limited (BSE:500510), Steel Authority of India (BSE:500113), Saudi Basic Industries (SAU:2010), Vale (NYSE:RIO), The Shaw Group Incorporated (NYSE:SGR), Los Andes Copper Limited (CVE:LA), JPMorgan & Chase Company (NYSE:JPM), Areva S.A. (EPA:CEI), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), Toshiba Corporation (TYO:6502), Credit Suisse Group (NYSE:CS), GAIL (India) Limited (BSE:532155), Homeland Energy Group Limited (TSX:HEG)

Companies featured in this segment: Poweo (EPA:ALPWO), Siemens (NYSE:SI), Verbund AG (WBAG:VER), Electricite de France SA (EPA:EDF), Ensco International Incorporated (NYSE:ESV), Pride International Incorporated (NYSE:PDE), (NYSE:RDC), Energy XXI (Bermuda) Limited (NASDAQ:EXXI), W&T Offshore Incorporated (NYSE:WTI), Endesa S.A. (MCE:ELE), BP (NYSE:BP), Suzlon Energy Limited (BOM:532667), Tata Power Company Limited (BOM:500400), The Shaw Group Incorporated (NYSE:SGR),Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK)