Geopolitics Alpha

Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks

Published . Updated .

Key takeaways

  • Exposed: USO, XLE, ITA, XLF, XOM
  • Market reaction: price tracking starts with the next trading session.

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ENERGYOil inches higher as markets weighU.S. election outcome, Iran warrisksGEOPOLITICS ALPHA

This report is about oil and defense. Names like XOM and CVX typically gain because exxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.

Directly affected

  • No company is named in this report.

Indirectly affected

  • USO United States Oil Fund+6.3% 30d

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

  • XLE Energy Select Sector SPDR+6.9% 30d

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

  • ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF+1.1% 30d

    iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF: it holds defense and aerospace contractors. Linked by “war” (defense) in this story.

  • XLF Financial Select Sector SPDR-1.6% 30d

    Financial Select Sector SPDR: it holds insurers. Linked by “war risk” (insurers) in this story.

  • XOM ExxonMobil Holdings+2.0% 16d

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

  • CVX Chevron+9.6% 30d

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

  • COP ConocoPhillips+11.6% 30d

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

  • SHEL Shell+3.5% 11d

    Shell (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+5.38%+6.75%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
XLE+2.64%+4.95%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
ITA-4.02%-3.08%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
XLF-1.85%-1.14%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
XOM+2.57%+5.49%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
CVX+1.76%+4.58%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
COP+3.21%+6.66%baseafter closeafter closeafter closeafter close
SHEL+0.85%+4.31%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.

Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks Investing.com

Source: Investing.com

United States Oil Fund (USO) compared with energy stocks (XLE) since 4 Nov 2026

CompanyWhenMoveStatus
Conocophillips (COP)three days earlier+6.66%final price
Conocophillips (COP)five days earlier+3.21%final price
Chevron (CVX)three days earlier+4.58%final price
Chevron (CVX)five days earlier+1.76%final price
IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA)three days earlier-3.08%final price
IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA)five days earlier-4.02%final price
SHELthree days earlier+4.31%final price
SHELfive days earlier+0.85%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)three days earlier+6.75%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)five days earlier+5.38%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE)three days earlier+4.95%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE)five days earlier+2.64%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLF)three days earlier-1.14%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLF)five days earlier-1.85%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)three days earlier+5.49%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)five days earlier+2.57%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).

Companies in energy around United States Oil Fund (USO)

The side that tends to collect

  • XOM ExxonMobil Holdings

    ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks.” 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 “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks,” 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 “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks,” 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 “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks,” 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

    For “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks,” 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

    In “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks,” IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF: it holds defense and aerospace contractors. Linked by “war” (defense) in this story

  • XLF Select Sector Spdr Tr

    In “Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks,” Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLF) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Financial Select Sector SPDR: it holds insurers. Linked by “war risk” (insurers) in this story

How energy news reaches United States Oil Fund (USO)

“Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks” (4 Nov 2026) reaches United States Oil Fund (USO) through Energy.

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

Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) is here too. Its reason reads: 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)

ITA traded between 197.59 and 218.73 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 216.38. USO traded between 142.51 and 171.80 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 158.17. XLE traded between 63.05 and 70.15 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 66.70.

What the saved facts support for United States Oil Fund (USO)

46 out of 100

“Oil inches higher as markets weigh U.S. election outcome, Iran war risks” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 8 linked companies.