Performance to remain mixed in utilities sector

The utilities sector has exhibited widely divergent performance in the various major markets over the calendar year. In the S&P 500, electric companies are up 26.51% in dollar terms for the 12 months to the end of July. In the UK they are up 6.76% in sterling terms while in Europe it is up 2.85% in euro terms over the same time period. While performance in the sector has been mixed over the calendar year, Stephen Docherty, fund manager at Aberdeen Asset Management, believes that investors will continue to hold utilities as the markets continue to remain difficult to call. He says: 'Ge...