The Guardian·2026-01-05 15:00Group 1: US Energy Stocks - US energy stocks experienced a rise, with Chevron shares increasing by 5%, Exxon Mobil by 2.3%, and Halliburton by 9.7% following Trump's promise to unlock Venezuela's oil reserves [1] - The political situation in Venezuela has led to a rally in the Venezuelan bond market, with bonds maturing in 2027 rising from 31.5p to over 40p on the dollar [9][10] Group 2: Oil Prices - Oil prices increased, with Brent crude rising by 1.5% to $61.64 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate up by 1.4% to $57.98 [2] - The potential for increased Venezuelan oil production could lead to a supply glut, as Trump indicated that US companies would invest billions to repair the oil infrastructure [3] Group 3: Investment Opportunities - A former Chevron executive is raising $2 billion for Venezuelan oil projects, indicating a readiness to invest in the country's oil sector [4][5] - The investments needed for Venezuela's oil industry include upgrading infrastructure, drilling new wells, and building refineries, which could take until 2030 or beyond to fully realize [6] Group 4: Market Reactions - The geopolitical upheaval has not prompted Opec+ to change its production strategy, maintaining a pause on production increases until at least April [11] - Precious metals like gold and silver saw price increases, with gold rising by 2% to $4,430.27 per ounce and silver by 3.9% to $75.42 per ounce, reflecting a traditional safe haven response to uncertainty [12]