Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks
Published . Updated .
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Saudi Arabia could become the most important player in the postwar oil market, particularly if prices start heading somewhere Riyadh has no intention of allowing them to settle.
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+6.9% 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-8.2% 30d
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF holds stocks listed in Saudi Arabia, which this story is about (“saudi”).
- 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+3.0% 30d
Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- COP ConocoPhillips+6.9% 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
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USO | +5.62% | -2.06% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XLE | +9.12% | +3.08% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| BWET | +35.08% | +5.02% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| KSA | -2.11% | +0.34% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XOM | +8.37% | +2.16% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| CVX | +7.15% | +2.05% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| COP | +7.74% | +0.44% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| SHEL | +5.91% | +2.77% | 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.
Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks The Dark Side Of The Boom
Source: The Dark Side Of The Boom
Price since this story was published: United States Oil Fund (USO)
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BWET | three days earlier | +5.02% | final price |
| BWET | five days earlier | +35.08% | final price |
| Conocophillips (COP) | three days earlier | +0.44% | final price |
| Conocophillips (COP) | five days earlier | +7.74% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | three days earlier | +2.05% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | five days earlier | +7.15% | final price |
| KSA | three days earlier | +0.34% | final price |
| KSA | five days earlier | -2.11% | final price |
| Shell (SHEL) | three days earlier | +2.77% | final price |
| Shell (SHEL) | five days earlier | +5.91% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | three days earlier | -2.06% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | five days earlier | +5.62% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | three days earlier | +3.08% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | five days earlier | +9.12% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | three days earlier | +2.16% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | five days earlier | +8.37% | 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 24 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 68 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 24 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 45 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 66 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 73 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 75 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 78 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 that tend to gain
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 7 Nov 2026 story “Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks.” 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
Chevron (CVX) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 7 Nov 2026 story “Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks.” Reason on file: Chevron (petroleum refining): 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 7 Nov 2026 story “Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks.” 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 Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks,” 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
- COP Conocophillips
In “Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks,” Conocophillips (COP) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: ConocoPhillips (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story
- SHEL Shell
For “Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks,” 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 “oil” (oil) in this story
United States Oil Fund (USO) and the energy link
On 7 Nov 2026, “Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks” is the story that connects United States Oil Fund (USO) to 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
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
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. XOM traded between 167.40 and 188.47 across 17 sessions. The latest close on file is 169.46.
The energy score for United States Oil Fund (USO)
46 out of 100
“Oil Market Outlook: Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall and Seeing What Sticks” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 6 linked companies.