By Dan Weil The S&P 500 Utilities index has climbed 4% year to date, compared with a 19% slide for the S&P 500 overall. Utility stocks have creamed the market as a whole in 2022. The S&P 500 Utilities index has gained 4% this year, compared with a 19% loss for the S&P 500 overall. Utility stocks have benefited as investors search for stability and yield amid a volatile market. That has allowed these stocks to overcome the negatives of soaring inflation and interest rates. Rising inflation hurts utilities because regulators often won’t let them raise their prices to match their surging costs. H…