FTSE 100 news / Companies and sectors / Utilities / 6 October 2026
Utilities: sector news on Tuesday 6 October 2026
Average tone +3.0 (positive) across 5 companies with relevant coverage, from 50 stories.
Company by company
| Company | Tone | Stories | What the coverage was about |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Grid | +8.0 | 29 | Coverage was dominated by National Grid raising its fiscal 2027 earnings outlook after a strong first half, helped by one-off gains from two portfolio deals and its Ventures business. |
| Metlen Energy & Metals | +9.0 | 11 | Coverage focused on Metlen signing a second long-term gallium supply agreement with a major Japanese chemical company, covering 16% of annual gallium production. |
| SSE | +2.0 | 5 | Coverage was mixed: SSE's role for gas plants and a positive analyst target price were offset by attention on an £80m windfall from its Northern Ireland business and questions over the Chancellor's push to break the gas-electricity price link. |
| Severn Trent | −4.5 | 3 | Coverage focused on water leaks, including a long-running Derbyshire leak that wasted an estimated 5m litres before repair and an emergency repair in Wolverhampton. |
| Centrica | +0.5 | 2 | Coverage was mixed: Centrica Energy signed a battery storage deal in Finland, which is positive. |
| United Utilities | – | 0 |
Strongest stories in the sector
- +10.0 Metlen Energy & Metals Signs Long-Term Agreement With Japanese Co For 16% Of Annual Gallium Production
Long-term deal covers 16% of annual gallium production. - +10.0 Metlen: Gallium opens the doors of global companies – Second major deal with Japanese firm
Gallium deal opens doors to global customers. - +10.0 National Grid Raises Earnings Outlook on Investment Gains and Interconnector Strength
Earnings outlook raised on investment gains and interconnectors. - +9.7 Metlen Inks Second Major Gallium Deal with Japanese Firm
Second major gallium deal strengthens commercial position. - +9.7 National Grid raises its earnings per share outlook ahead of half-year results
EPS outlook raised ahead of half-year results. - +9.7 National Grid (NGG) Raises Full-Year Earnings Outlook on Strong H1 Performance
Full-year earnings outlook raised on strong first half. - +9.7 National Grid Lifts FY27 EPS Outlook After Strong Ventures First Half
FY27 EPS outlook lifted after strong Ventures half. - +9.5 National Grid Lifts FY27 Earnings Growth Outlook on Ventures Gains
Earnings growth outlook lifted on Ventures gains. - +9.5 National Grid raises full-year earnings view after strong H1 (NGG:NYSE)
Full-year earnings view raised after strong first half. - +9.2 Metlen signs gallium supply deal with Japanese group
New gallium supply deal with Japanese group is positive. - +9.2 INFORMATIONEN ZU METLEN: Neuer Gallium-Vertrag mit einem großen japanischen Chemieunternehmen
Press release on new long-term gallium contract. - +9.2 Metlen and Major Japanese Chemical Company Sign New Gallium Agreement
New gallium agreement with major Japanese chemical company.