Utilities ETF (XLU) hits lower rail of upwardly sloped channel and gets a bullish signal
The utilities sector is often viewed as a safety sector, offering less risk than the more cyclical sectors. With the overall market moving higher over the last three weeks, utilities have lagged the other sectors. The Utilities Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLU) has dropped 1.3% since July 8 and that is the worst performance among the 10 main sector SPDRs.
While the XLU has lagged in the last few weeks, the slight decline has allowed a couple of trend lines to catch up to the fund. The first one is the 50-day moving average and the ETF just hit it in the last few days. The second trend line is actually the lower rail of an upwardly sloped channel. We see that the line connects the lows from May and June while the upper rail connects the highs from April, May, and June.
When the XLU dropped to its low on May 9 that formed the first point of the lower rail and the fund jumped over 6% in just over two weeks. The second point that helped form the lower rail was on June 4 and after hitting that low the fund jumped 5.87% in three trading days.
The Tickeron Trend Prediction Engine generated a bullish signal for the XLU on July 25 and the signal showed a confidence level of 84%. The signal calls for a gain of at least 4% within the next month. Past predictions on the XLU have been successful 90% of the time.
From a fundamental standpoint, utilities may become more attractive as it appears as if the Fed will cut rates at the July meeting. When the Fed cuts rates, utility stocks become more attractive for the yields the dividends provide.
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XLU's RSI Oscillator ascending out of oversold territory
The RSI Oscillator for XLU moved out of oversold territory on August 24, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 28 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In of the 28 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at .
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 1 day, which means it's wise to expect a price bounce in the near future.
Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where XLU advanced for three days, in of 340 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
XLU may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on August 25, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on XLU as a result. In of 87 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for XLU turned negative on August 21, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 43 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In of the 43 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at .
XLU moved below its 50-day moving average on July 30, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for XLU crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on August 06, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In of 19 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where XLU declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Aroon Indicator for XLU entered a downward trend on August 25, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
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