Geopolitics Alpha

As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges

Published . Updated .

Key takeaways

  • Saudi Arabia and Iraq are moving aggressively to claim Irans former oil market share in China as Tehrans shipments drop dramatically under strict maritime blockades
  • Exposed: USO, XLE, BWET, KSA, AFK
  • Market reaction: price tracking starts with the next trading session.

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As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges

Saudi Arabia and Iraq are moving aggressively to claim Irans former oil market share in China as Tehrans shipments drop dramatically under strict maritime blockades

Directly affected

  • No company is named in this report.

Indirectly affected

  • USO United States Oil Fund-1.1% 30d

    United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.

  • XLE Energy Select Sector SPDR+7.4% 30d

    Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.

  • BWET Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF-3.3% 17d

    Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF: it tracks tanker freight rates. Linked by “oil” (tanker shipping) in this story.

  • KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF-7.1% 30d

    iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF holds stocks listed in Saudi Arabia, which this story is about (“saudi”).

  • FXI iShares China Large-Cap ETF-2.8% 30d

    iShares China Large-Cap ETF holds stocks listed in China, which this story is about (“chinese”).

  • XOM ExxonMobil Holdings-2.7% 17d

    ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.

  • CVX Chevron+4.7% 30d

    Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.

  • OXY Occidental Petroleum+11.8% 17d

    Occidental Petroleum (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.

Price reaction, T-5 to T+3

TickerT-5T-3T-1T0T+1T+2T+3
USO-2.03%-2.82%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
XLE-4.57%-2.42%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
BWET-5.09%-10.82%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
KSA-1.58%-0.01%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
FXIPrices arriving within minutes———after closeafter closeafter closeafter close
XOM-3.42%-2.31%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
CVX-4.09%-2.99%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
OXY-5.04%-2.71%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close

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.

As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges Business Insider Africa

Source: Business Insider Africa

How far United States Oil Fund (USO) has moved since 15 Nov 2026

CompanyWhenMoveStatus
Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET)three days earlier-10.82%final price
Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET)five days earlier-5.09%final price
Chevron (CVX)three days earlier-2.99%final price
Chevron (CVX)five days earlier-4.09%final price
Ishares Msci Saudi Arabia Etf (KSA)three days earlier-0.01%final price
Ishares Msci Saudi Arabia Etf (KSA)five days earlier-1.58%final price
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)three days earlier-2.71%final price
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)five days earlier-5.04%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)three days earlier-2.82%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)five days earlier-2.03%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE)three days earlier-2.42%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE)five days earlier-4.57%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)three days earlier-2.31%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)five days earlier-3.42%final price

Trades by members of Congress and officials in the stocks in this story

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).

How busy Middle East has been lately

Middle East

Geopolitics Alpha has 0 stories about Middle East from the past 7 days and 0 stories from the past 30. “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges” is tagged to Middle East.

United States Oil Fund (USO) on one side of this energy story

The side that tends to collect

  • XOM ExxonMobil Holdings

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” 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

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” 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

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” Occidental Petroleum (OXY) tends to benefit, medium confidence. 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

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” United States Oil Fund (USO) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story

  • XLE Select Sector Spdr Tr

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” 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

  • BWET Amplify Commodity Trust

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” 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 “oil” (tanker shipping) in this story

  • KSA Ishares Msci Saudi Arabia Etf

    In “As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges,” Ishares Msci Saudi Arabia Etf (KSA) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF holds stocks listed in Saudi Arabia, which this story is about (“saudi”)

How a Middle East shock reaches United States Oil Fund (USO)

“As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges” (15 Nov 2026) reaches United States Oil Fund (USO) through Middle East.

United States Oil Fund (USO) is on the page because United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story

A second company, Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE), is listed for a different reason: Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story

Dates and price levels for United States Oil Fund (USO)

BWET traded between 788.51 and 1047.07 across 17 sessions. The latest close on file is 907.20. USO traded between 143.02 and 171.80 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 148.41. XLE traded between 63.05 and 70.15 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 66.70.

A simple score for United States Oil Fund (USO)

46 out of 100

“As the Middle East’s largest oil producer and Iraq jump in to capture Iran’s Chinese oil market, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia suffer a U.S. blow as Venezuelan oil surges” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 8 linked companies.