Nuclear-power stocks rise as Trump signs orders to aid sector. Progress may be slow, analyst warns.

Published: May 23, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Shares in companies tied to nuclear power jumped Friday, helped by President Donald Trump’s rollout of four executive orders that aim to provide a boost to the sector, but there were concerns about whether there could be much of a near-term impact.

One order seeks to speed up the adoption of specialized nuclear reactors at defense installations, and another aims to reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, White House aide Will Scharf said. A third order is intended to revise regulations for nuclear-reactor testing, and a fourth seeks to reinvigorate the nuclear-industrial base, Scharf said.

About the Author

Victor Reklaitis is a Washington Correspondent for MarketWatch. During his time at MarketWatch, he also has served in roles in the London and New York newsrooms. Prior to joining MarketWatch, he worked at Investor’s Business Daily and for newspapers in Virginia.

Myra P. Saefong, assistant global markets editor, has covered the commodities sector for MarketWatch for 20 years. She has spent the bulk of her years at the company writing the daily Futures Movers and Metals Stocks columns and has been writing the weekly Commodities Corner column since 2005.