His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.
Published . Updated .
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For small trucking firms operating with little margin for error, high fuel costs can make the difference between survival and bankruptcy.
Directly affected
- No company is named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- USO United States Oil Fund+8.9% 30d
United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story.
- XLE Energy Select Sector SPDR+8.9% 30d
Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story.
- IYT iShares U.S. Transportation ETF
iShares U.S. Transportation ETF: it holds transport and logistics firms. Linked by “trucking” (transport and logistics) in this story.
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings+6.2% 16d
ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story.
- CVX Chevron+12.5% 30d
Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story.
- COP ConocoPhillips+4.8% 30d
ConocoPhillips (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story.
- SHEL Shell-2.5% 12d
Shell (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story.
- UPS United Parcel Service+7.2% 17d
United Parcel Service (trucking and courier services (no air)): freight and delivery firms move with trade volumes. Linked by “trucking” (transport and logistics) in this story.
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USO | +4.37% | +7.30% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XLE | +1.44% | +2.16% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| IYT | -1.11% | -1.81% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XOM | +0.06% | +1.89% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| CVX | +0.19% | +1.58% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| COP | +0.74% | +2.12% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| SHEL | -0.17% | +2.59% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| UPS | -3.24% | -2.18% | base | after close | after close | after close | after 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.
For small trucking firms operating with little margin for error, high fuel costs can make the difference between survival and bankruptcy.
Source: The New York Times
United States Oil Fund (USO) since this story, compared with the market
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conocophillips (COP) | three days earlier | +2.12% | final price |
| Conocophillips (COP) | five days earlier | +0.74% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | three days earlier | +1.58% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | five days earlier | +0.19% | final price |
| Ishares Tr (IYT) | three days earlier | -1.81% | final price |
| Ishares Tr (IYT) | five days earlier | -1.11% | final price |
| Shell (SHEL) | three days earlier | +2.59% | final price |
| Shell (SHEL) | five days earlier | -0.17% | final price |
| United Parcel Service (UPS) | three days earlier | -2.18% | final price |
| United Parcel Service (UPS) | five days earlier | -3.24% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | three days earlier | +7.30% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | five days earlier | +4.37% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | three days earlier | +2.16% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | five days earlier | +1.44% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | three days earlier | +1.89% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | five days earlier | +0.06% | final price |
Trades by members of Congress and officials in the stocks in this story
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 14 Oct 2026. That is 20 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) (jointly held), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 31 Aug 2026. That is 64 days before publication. Filed 25 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Chevron (CVX), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 14 Oct 2026. That is 20 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Chevron (CVX) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 23 Sep 2026. That is 41 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 62 days before publication. Filed 7 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 69 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 71 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 74 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).
Who gains and who loses around United States Oil Fund (USO)
Companies carried with this story
- USO United States Oil Fund
For “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.,” 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 “diesel” (oil) in this story
- XLE Select Sector Spdr Tr
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 3 Nov 2026 story “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible..” Reason on file: Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story
- IYT Ishares Tr
For “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.,” Ishares Tr (IYT) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: iShares U.S. Transportation ETF: it holds transport and logistics firms. Linked by “trucking” (transport and logistics) in this story
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings
In “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.,” ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story
- CVX Chevron
For “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.,” Chevron (CVX) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story
- COP Conocophillips
Conocophillips (COP) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 3 Nov 2026 story “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible..” Reason on file: ConocoPhillips (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story
- SHEL Shell
For “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.,” Shell (SHEL) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Shell (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “diesel” (oil) in this story
- UPS United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service (UPS) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 3 Nov 2026 story “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible..” Reason on file: United Parcel Service (trucking and courier services (no air)): freight and delivery firms move with trade volumes. Linked by “trucking” (transport and logistics) in this story
How “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.” reaches United States Oil Fund (USO)
The 3 Nov 2026 story “His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.” names United States Oil Fund (USO) because of this story.
What ties United States Oil Fund (USO) to the headline is this: United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “diesel” (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 “diesel” (oil) in this story
Dates and price levels for United States Oil Fund (USO)
USO traded between 141.82 and 171.80 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 156.89. XLE traded between 62.95 and 70.15 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 67.26.
What the saved facts support for United States Oil Fund (USO)
46 out of 100
“His Business Was Tough. Diesel Prices Made It Impossible.” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 8 linked companies.