[BRIEFING.COM] Utilities have been steady laggards this session. The sector is currently down 0.2%, though Edison International (EIX 33.29, +1.11) is sporting a hefty gain after bringing in better-than-expected earnings for the latest quarter and narrowing its outlook for fiscal 2009.

Electric utilities giant Dominion (D 36.02, +0.21) is also up, though to a lesser extent. The company reaffirmed its outlook for 2009 and 2010. Both forecasts are in-line with the current consensus estimate.