'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.
Published . Updated .
Exxon stock has risen 18% since February, as Big Oil profits surge. Chevron stock is up 22%, and Valero is up 89%. Here's why.
Directly affected
Indirectly affected
- USO United States Oil Fund+4.8% 30d
United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- XLE Energy Select Sector SPDR+6.5% 30d
Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF-4.2% 30d
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF: it holds defense and aerospace contractors. Linked by “war” (defense) in this story.
- BWET Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF+54.8% 19d
Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF: it tracks tanker freight rates. Linked by “iran” (tanker shipping) in this story.
- OXY Occidental Petroleum+1.5% 30d
Occidental Petroleum (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- COP ConocoPhillips+8.3% 30d
ConocoPhillips (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- SHEL Shell+0.1% 13d
Shell (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- BP BP p.l.c+6.0% 18d
BP p.l.c (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XOM | -1.00% | +1.85% | base | +0.89% | after close | after close | after close |
| CVXNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| USO | -2.37% | +3.62% | base | +2.37% | after close | after close | after close |
| XLE | -0.12% | +1.60% | base | +0.10% | after close | after close | after close |
| ITANo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BWETNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OXYNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| COPNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SHELNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BPNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Closing-price change versus T-1, the last close before the story. T0 to T+3 fill in after each market close. Prices: Alpaca IEX.
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'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line. Investor's Business Daily
Source: Investor's Business Daily
The price since 28 Oct 2026: United States Oil Fund (USO) versus the S&P 500
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | that day | +2.37% | still updating |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | three days earlier | +3.62% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | five days earlier | -2.37% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | that day | +0.10% | still updating |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | three days earlier | +1.60% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | five days earlier | -0.12% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | that day | +0.89% | still updating |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | three days earlier | +1.85% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | five days earlier | -1.00% | final price |
Trades by members of Congress and officials in the stocks in this story
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) (jointly held), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 31 Aug 2026. That is 58 days before publication. Filed 25 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM), worth $250,001 - $500,000 on 31 Jul 2026. That is 89 days before publication. Filed 22 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Chevron (CVX) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 23 Sep 2026. That is 35 days before publication. Filed 13 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar bought Chevron (CVX), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 2 Sep 2026. That is 56 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought Chevron (CVX), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 26 Aug 2026. That is 63 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought Occidental Petroleum (OXY), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 21 Aug 2026. That is 68 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael T. McCaul sold Conocophillips (COP) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 26 Aug 2026. That is 63 days before publication. Filed 14 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael T. McCaul sold Conocophillips (COP) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 24 Aug 2026. That is 65 days before publication. Filed 14 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought Conocophillips (COP), worth $1,000,001 - $5,000,000 on 21 Aug 2026. That is 68 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
Public disclosure filings, not a recommendation. The filing link is the source document. News use of these reports still sits under 5 U.S.C. § 13107(c).
United States Oil Fund (USO) on one side of this energy story
Companies that tend to gain
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings
For “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.,” ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) tends to benefit, medium confidence. Reason on file: ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
- CVX Chevron
For “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.,” Chevron (CVX) tends to benefit, medium confidence. Reason on file: Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
- OXY Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 28 Oct 2026 story “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line..” Reason on file: Occidental Petroleum (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
No up or down call on file
- USO United States Oil Fund
United States Oil Fund (USO) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 28 Oct 2026 story “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line..” Reason on file: United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
- XLE Select Sector Spdr Tr
For “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.,” Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
- ITA IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 28 Oct 2026 story “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line..” Reason on file: iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF: it holds defense and aerospace contractors. Linked by “war” (defense) in this story
- BWET Amplify Commodity Trust
In “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.,” Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF: it tracks tanker freight rates. Linked by “iran” (tanker shipping) in this story
United States Oil Fund (USO) and the energy link
On 28 Oct 2026, “'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.” is the story that connects United States Oil Fund (USO) to Energy.
For United States Oil Fund (USO), the reason on file says United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
Also listed, Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE): Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
Dates in the story, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) price range
ITA traded between 197.59 and 211.29 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 206.15. USO traded between 141.82 and 169.96 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 163.62. XLE traded between 61.05 and 69.86 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 68.23.
What the saved facts support for United States Oil Fund (USO)
46 out of 100Price not final
“'A Freaking Fortune.' How The Iran War Rescued Big Oil's Bottom Line.” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 8 linked companies. The price is not final yet.