Polar Vortex Brings Winter's Coldest Air For Trump's Inauguration Day: What It Means For Utilities, Retailers, Energy Stocks
An Arctic blast is set to hit most of the country this weekend and into next week as the polar vortex pushes frigid temperatures into the U.S.
The Details: Frigid Siberian air is forecast to hit the Northern Plains on Saturday and move south and east through the weekend, according to AccuWeather.
“The cold outbreak will occur right smack in the middle of what is historically the coldest part of the winter,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson said.
The cold is expected to linger and could bring subzero temperatures to more than 105 million people in the U.S. over the next two weeks, the Washington Post reported.
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Why It Matters: With much of the country set to face dangerously cold temperatures, investors are monitoring natural gas and utility stocks.
The United States 12 Month Natural Gas Fund ETF (NYSE:UNL) which tracks the average of 12 months of natural gas futures contracts is up 4% over the past five days and the United States Natural Gas Fund ETF (NYSE:UNG), tracking the near-month natural gas futures contract price, is up more than 3% over the same period.
Constellation Energy Corp. (NASDAQ:CEG) which provides services in several East Coast states and Washington, D.C. and Michigan-based utility provider DTE Energy Co. (NYSE:DTE) could both see increased demand as the Arctic weather moves in.
Retailers such as Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) and Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:HD) could see increased sales as people purchase supplies to prepare for the wintry conditions. However, retail locations will likely see reduced foot traffic as consumers stay home when the extreme cold arrives.
Inauguration Day: President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Monday in Washington D.C. and the forecast high of 24 degrees could make Trump's inauguration one of the coldest on record.
The coldest so far was former President Ronald Regan's second inauguration in 1985 when the temperature was -2 and the ceremony was moved indoors due to this dangerous temperature.
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