Energy stocks lead in subdued final trading day of August, utilities under pressure: AlphaCheck

Energy stocks lead in subdued final trading day of August, utilities under pressure: AlphaCheck

Grace O'Donnell · Editor, Special Projects

Mon, August 31, 2026 at 5:20 PM GMT+3 1 min read

Good morning. Stocks slipped in early trading as investors saw an increased probability of a September rate hike and the US and Iran exchanged fire over the weekend, dampening sentiment near the end of an ebullient earnings season.

It's the final trading day of August, and the major indexes are on pace for solid monthly gains.

Here's a check of the markets in the first few minutes of trading, based on a heat map powered by Yahoo Finance AlphaSpace data.

Tech (XLK) stocks traded flat against a broadly down market on Monday, with software and semiconductor stocks edging higher. The Energy sector (XLE) was the real standout, however, as rising oil prices stemming from the rekindled Middle East conflict lifted shares of Chevron (CVX), Exxon (XOM), and other energy firms.

PG&E Corporation (PCG) stock dragged down Utilities (XLU) after new California legislation left a lot of uncertainty about utilities' exposure to wildfire liabilities.

Here are some notable stocks that Yahoo Finance readers are viewing this morning: Moderna (MRNA), PG&E Corporation, Exxon, Alibaba (BABA), Pasqal Holding (PSQL), Edison International (EIX), Hyperliquid Strategies (PURR)

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