Why These 3 Oil Stocks Surged After Venezuelan President Maduro's Capture

Core Viewpoint - The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro led to a significant surge in the stock prices of major U.S. oil companies, particularly Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips, while other oil stocks remained largely unaffected [1][3][4]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Chevron's shares increased by 5.5%, ExxonMobil's by 2.5%, and ConocoPhillips' by 3.1% following the news of Maduro's capture [2]. - In contrast, other oil companies like TotalEnergies, Shell, and BP saw declines or minimal gains, indicating a selective market reaction [1][2]. - By Tuesday, the stocks of Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips had given back most of their gains, with Chevron experiencing a 4.2% drop, marking its worst performance since April 2025 [4][8]. Group 2: Market Context - The overall market, represented by the S&P 500, showed resilience, opening 0.49% higher and continuing to rise during the trading session [3]. - Despite the initial surge in oil stocks, the broader market performance indicated that investors were cautious about the long-term implications of the situation in Venezuela [8]. Group 3: Investment Implications - Investors viewed Chevron as the most likely beneficiary of a potential shift towards a more U.S.-friendly oil policy in Venezuela, given its active operations in the country [7]. - There are unresolved monetary claims against the Venezuelan government by ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil, which could influence future stock performance [5]. - The revitalization of Venezuela's oil industry is estimated to require tens of billions of dollars, raising questions about the feasibility of new investments by these companies [7][10].