US energy stocks rose on Monday, after Donald Trump promised to unlock Venezuela’s vast crude oil reserves following the US capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.Shares in Chevron, which already operates in Venezuela under a special licence provided by the Trump administration, were up 5% on Wall Street. Exxon Mobil was up 2.3%, while Halliburton, which provides products and services to the oil and gas sector, jumped 9.7%.Oil prices were also up on Monday, after recovering from a brief drop. Br ...

Group 1 - Crude oil prices experienced a significant decline in 2025, with Brent oil dropping nearly 20% from the mid-$70s to the low $60s due to increasing global supplies and demand concerns [1][3] - Predictions for 2026 indicate that Brent oil prices may average around $55 to $56 per barrel, with potential lows below $50 if geopolitical conditions change [3][5] - Increased oil supplies from major oil companies and OPEC are expected to lead to a supply glut in 2026, contributing to bearish market sentiments [4][5] Group 2 - Lower oil prices are anticipated to trigger a new wave of consolidation in the oil sector, similar to previous trends observed during price declines [6] - Major oil companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron have been active in mergers and acquisitions, with significant deals completed recently to enhance production and cash flow [7][8] - The focus for oil companies may shift towards gas-fueled growth drivers, such as gas-fired power plants, to adapt to changing market conditions [7]

Oil was slightly lower early Friday as prices held around three-month averages.Brent crude was down 0.4% at $60.60 a barrel, while WTI was down 054% at $57.16 a barrel. Escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates add to geopolitical risk premium, as the states' respective proxies clash in Yemen.The recent dispute centered around a strike on a Yemeni port that serves as the gateway to the country's oil region. Supply gluts pushed oil to its sharpest annual loss since 2020, with Bren ...

Oil prices are barreling toward their worst year since the Covid crash. A flood of non-OPEC supply and cooling demand has knocked crude prices down about 20%. Russia is feeling the squeeze as low prices and sanctions hammer oil revenues and growth. Oil prices are on track for their steepest annual drop since the Covid-era crash in 2020, battered by fears of a deepening supply glut — and compounding economic pressure on Russia as sanctions and discounts bite harder. US benchmark West Texas Intermed ...

Oil rose from a four-and-a-half-year low after the US signaled tougher measures against Russia to spur a peace deal in Ukraine after declaring a blockade of Venezuelan oil exports. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed as much as as 2.7% to almost $57 a barrel on Wednesday. Most Read from Bloomberg Washington is considering options such as targeting Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers and traders who facilitate such exports, in case Vladimir Putin rejects a proposed agreement with Ukraine ...

Key Takeaways WTI crude fell to $56 as ceasefire hopes and weak China data pressured prices in a well-supplied market.USO is down about 11.8% year to date as global supply is expected to outpace demand this year and next.SCO gained 5.9% in a week as traders boosted bearish bets amid oversupply fears and geopolitical uncertainty.The U.S. oil benchmark dropped to its lowest level since February 2021 as traders assessed renewed optimism around a potential deal to end the war in Ukraine, per Bloomberg, as quote ...

Crude oil prices fell to levels not seen since the start of 2021 as a widely expected supply glut picked up momentum and peace talks in the Russia-Ukraine conflict took steps forward. Futures on international pricing benchmark Brent crude (BZ=F) fell by more than 2.8% to trade below $58.86 on Tuesday morning, while futures on US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude (CL=F) temporarily fell by a deeper 3.1% to trade below $55. Both energy products reached levels Tuesday morning that had not been s ...

Crude oil prices fell to levels not seen since the start of 2021 as a widely expected supply glut picked up momentum and peace talks in the Russia-Ukraine conflict took steps forward. Futures on international pricing benchmark Brent crude (BZ=F) fell by more than 2.8% to trade below $58.86 on Tuesday morning, while futures on US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude (CL=F) temporarily fell by a deeper 3.1% to trade below $55. Both energy products reached levels Tuesday morning that had not been s ...

Core Insights - The energy industry is facing a challenging outlook, with forecasts indicating a supply glut that will persist into 2026, leading to a projected decline in crude oil prices by approximately 20% by the end of next year [2][6] Industry Performance - The energy sector has shown a modest year-to-date gain of 7.21%, ranking fifth-worst among the S&P 500's 11 sectors, following a 5.7% gain in 2024 and a 1.3% loss in 2023 [4] - The cyclical nature of the energy sector has resulted in it finishing second-to-last or last among all sectors seven times in the past 11 years [4] Price Forecasts - The EIA's short-term outlook suggests that oil prices will continue to decline due to a sustained global supply surplus, with Brent crude expected to reach $55 per barrel by the end of 2026, representing a nearly 54% decline from its June 2022 high of $118.49 [6][7] - West Texas Intermediate has experienced a nearly 18% loss in 2025, while Brent crude has fallen more than 16% [5][6] ETF Performance - The State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA: XLE), which is heavily weighted in major oil companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips, is anticipated to continue underperforming due to the bearish outlook on oil prices [7] - Institutional sentiment towards the ETF is weak, characterized by high short interest and a balance of buyers and sellers over the past year [7]

Group 1: China's Trade Dynamics - China's exports have rebounded significantly, leading to a record trade surplus exceeding $1 trillion for the first time, driven by strong sales to non-U.S. markets [2][8] - The resurgence in exports raises concerns about a potential "China Shock," similar to the early 2000s, which previously resulted in substantial job losses in the U.S. [2] - China is reducing its purchases of U.S. agricultural products and investing in new export infrastructure in countries like Brazil to diversify supply chains [3] Group 2: Oil Market Trends - Crude oil prices are stable, with Brent crude around $63.77 per barrel and WTI near $60.11 per barrel, as markets balance supply glut threats against potential demand increases from anticipated Federal Reserve interest rate cuts [4][5] - Geopolitical tensions, including issues in Ukraine and U.S.-Venezuela relations, are contributing to a risk premium in oil prices, while rising global inventories may temper price responses [5] - OPEC+ has maintained output levels for the first quarter of 2026, reflecting caution regarding a potential supply glut [5] Group 3: Copper Market Developments - LME copper prices have reached a record high of $11,617 per metric ton, driven by acute global supply concerns and strategic stockpiling, with prices up over 32% this year [8][10] - Significant supply disruptions at major mines in Indonesia, Chile, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are exacerbating supply worries, with Glencore lowering its copper production target for 2026 [10] - Analysts at Goldman Sachs have raised their copper price forecast for the first half of next year to an average of $10,710 per ton, citing constrained mine-supply growth and robust demand from infrastructure projects [10]