News
The day at a glance · 4 min read
Mood · Selective
+15
Sentiment, −100 to +100
NYSE Energy Index
0.7%+0.7%
Energy Market Overview
SLB Q1 Earnings
$752Mdown
Oilfield Services Under Pressure
RPC Share Move
+6.9%+6.9%
Oilfield Services Under Pressure
Key driverDivergent performance as utilities and renewables advance amid record capex forecasts while oilfield services face geopolitical headwinds from Iran war disruptions
Daily briefEnergy· Money365.Market AI ·

Utilities Lead as SLB Faces Iran War Disruption

NextEra beats on earnings with 10% EPS growth; oilfield services hit by Middle East conflict while utility capex forecast reaches $1.3T

Energy Market Overview

Neutral
SLBNEEHAL
Energy stocks posted modest gains with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.7% as the sector navigated mixed earnings reports and geopolitical turbulence. The Iran war continued to disrupt supply chains and demand patterns in key oil-producing regions, creating divergent impacts across subsectors. Renewable energy momentum accelerated with solar equipment sales soaring, reflecting a broader shift away from fossil fuels in response to market disruptions. Oilfield services bore the brunt of Middle East conflict while utilities and clean energy companies capitalized on surging domestic electricity demand.

Oilfield Services Under Pressure

Bearish
SLBHALRES
SLB ($SLB) reported first-quarter earnings of $752 million, representing a decline from the prior year as disruptions from the Iran war hit demand for oilfield services in a key oil-producing region. Shares fell 3% following the Houston-based company's results, which showed profit of 50 cents per share. The Iran conflict has significantly impacted operations in the Middle East, a critical market for international oilfield service providers. Despite $SLB's challenges, sentiment across the broader oilfield services sector received a lift earlier in the week from Halliburton ($HAL), which reported past first-quarter profits exceeding Wall Street expectations supported by stronger international demand across Latin America, Europe and Africa. The positive $HAL read-through helped lift shares of smaller peer RPC by 6.9%, demonstrating that improving activity in overseas markets is influencing expectations for North American-focused providers.

Utilities and Power Infrastructure

Bullish

NextEra Q1 Adj EPS Growth

+10%+10%

NextEra Gas Partnership

9.5 GWnew

U.S. Utility Capex 2026-2030

$1.3T+forecast

Robinson Plant License

2050extended
NEEDUKSO
NextEra Energy ($NEE) opened 2026 with strong results, posting a 10% increase in adjusted earnings per share and outlining ambitious growth plans. Chairman, President and CEO John Ketchum called it a "terrific start" as the company reported higher first-quarter adjusted earnings amid accelerating U.S. electricity demand across both its regulated Florida utility and national energy operations.
$NEE has entered a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce tied to a U.S.-Japan trade deal, covering 9.5 GW of new gas-fired generation capacity in Texas and Pennsylvania, while also advancing work on small modular reactor technology as part of its longer-term power strategy. The utility sector is poised for massive capital investment, with forecasts projecting approximately $1.3 trillion of aggregate capital expenditures for U.S. energy utilities between 2026 and 2030.
Duke Energy ($DUK) received NRC approval to extend operations at its Robinson Nuclear Plant until 2050, securing 20 additional years of reliable baseload generation in the Pee Dee region.

Renewables and Energy Transition

Bullish
NEE
Renewable energy is experiencing renewed momentum as solar-energy equipment sales soar, signaling an accelerating shift toward clean energy sources. The Iran war has scrambled traditional energy markets, driving increased focus on domestic renewable capacity and energy security. Solar and wind installations continue advancing as policy incentives and surging electricity demand from data centers and electrification drive capacity additions. The energy transition narrative is gaining strength with utilities like $NEE balancing conventional gas-fired generation build-outs alongside small modular reactor development and renewable energy expansion to meet diverse load requirements.

Oil & Gas Development Activity

Neutral

XOM Saipem Contract

$150Mnew
XOMKMIPSX
ExxonMobil ($XOM) awarded Saipem a $150M contract for preliminary detailed engineering and procurement work on the Longtail development project in Guyana, advancing offshore production in a key growth basin.
Kinder Morgan ($KMI) and Phillips 66 ($PSX) advanced the Western Gateway Pipeline project after securing long-term shipper commitments, with the project designed to serve refined product supply needs in the Southwest and California markets including Arizona. The infrastructure investment reflects plans to adjust fuel distribution routes in response to refinery closures and evolving demand patterns in the western United States.

Looking Ahead

Neutral
Market participants will monitor upcoming EIA inventory reports and Baker Hughes rig count data for signals on North American supply-demand dynamics amid continued geopolitical volatility from the Iran conflict. The divergence between battered oilfield services and surging utility infrastructure investment highlights a sector in transition, with conventional oil and gas facing regional disruptions while power generation and grid modernization attract record capital. Earnings season continues with investors assessing how companies are navigating geopolitical risks, managing capital allocation priorities, and positioning for long-term energy transition trends while meeting near-term electricity demand growth.

Important Disclaimer — Not Investment Advice

Disclaimer: This article is provided by Money365.Market for general information and educational purposes only. It is not financial advice, a personal recommendation, or an inducement to buy, sell, or invest in any security or product. Capital is at risk and the value of investments can go down as well as up; past performance does not indicate future results. You should seek independent advice from an FCA-authorised adviser before making any financial decision.

Read the full disclaimer — 8 further points, including total-loss risk, our regulatory status and conflicts of interest

Nothing here is an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell anything, and reading it creates no advisory or fiduciary relationship between you and Money365.Market. Any decision you take is your own.

  • You can lose money — including all of it. Individual companies can and do fail, and some of the assets discussed can fall to zero. Only commit money you can afford to lose, and never borrow to invest on the strength of anything you read here.
  • Forecasts are opinion, not fact. Any valuation model, scenario, fair-value range, estimate or other forward-looking statement is illustrative, rests on assumptions that may prove wrong, and is never a price target, a forecast of actual outcomes, or a promise of any return.
  • Published at a point in time. Figures were believed accurate on the publication or last-updated date shown above and are not maintained afterwards; we are under no obligation to update them. Market and company data comes from third-party sources and is provided without warranty of accuracy, completeness or timeliness.
  • Automated content. This brief was compiled by an automated pipeline from validated news and market-data sources and passed through editorial and compliance checks. Automated content can still contain errors — verify anything you intend to rely on.
  • We are not regulated. Money365.Market is not authorised or regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, is not registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or FINRA as an investment adviser or broker-dealer, and is not a tax adviser. We hold no licence to give personal financial advice and do not do so.
  • Interests and independence. Money365.Market is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any company, fund, exchange or platform mentioned, and is not paid to feature them. The author may hold positions in securities or assets discussed. The site earns revenue from advertising, subscriptions and, where labelled, affiliate links; this does not influence what we publish.
  • Your jurisdiction matters. Tax treatment, contribution limits, product availability and investor protections differ by country and can change. Speak to a qualified tax professional for tax matters, and to a locally licensed adviser if you are outside the UK.

Full terms: Disclaimer · Terms of Service · Privacy Policy