Utilities Yielding to Miners

"You know, the worst ain't so bad when it finally happens. Not half as bad as you figure it'll be before it's happened."
--Curtin (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre)

Those seeking dividend income often flock to utilities given the sector's consistently high payouts. However, the income-producing status of utes is currently being challenged by...mining stocks. The dividend yield differential has narrowed to decades+ lows.

Two things are going on. One is that utility stocks have been bid up recently, causing their yields to fall. The other is that mining stocks, despite their strong balance sheets and cash flows, have been crushed recently, causing their yields to rise.

While they have surely been disappointed that the sector has not yet responded to the present environment as expected, gold bulls are at least being paid well to wait.

position in gold