Geopolitics Alpha

Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections

Published . Updated .

Covered by 2 outlets: Central Oregon Daily, The Lufkin Daily News.

Key takeaways

  • By Arathy Somasekhar HOUSTON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell 9% on Wednesday in volatile trading as investors awaited Washington's next move in the US-Israeli war with Iran after
  • Exposed: USO, XLE, ITA, BWET, XOM
  • Market reaction: USO −8.5% on the day (still updating); XLE −5.6% on the day (still updating); BWET −15.7% on the day (still updating)

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Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections

By Arathy Somasekhar HOUSTON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell 9% on Wednesday in volatile trading as investors awaited Washington's next move in the US-Israeli war with Iran after

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.

  • BWET Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF-3.3% 17d

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

  • EIS iShares MSCI Israel ETF-4.5% 11d

    iShares MSCI Israel ETF holds stocks listed in Israel, which this story is about (“israeli”).

  • 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.

  • OXY Occidental Petroleum+10.3% 18d

    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+5.38%+6.75%base-8.53%after closeafter closeafter close
XLE+2.64%+4.95%base-5.59%after closeafter closeafter close
ITA-4.02%-3.08%base-1.30%after closeafter closeafter close
BWET+7.18%+11.56%base-15.67%after closeafter closeafter close
EIS+2.68%-0.28%base-2.31%after closeafter closeafter close
XOM+2.57%+5.49%base-4.87%after closeafter closeafter close
CVX+1.76%+4.58%base-4.10%after closeafter closeafter close
OXY+4.03%+5.88%base-5.78%after 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 tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections Central Oregon Daily

Source: Central Oregon Daily

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

CompanyWhenMoveStatus
Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET)that day-15.67%still updating
Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET)three days earlier+11.56%final price
Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET)five days earlier+7.18%final price
Chevron (CVX)that day-4.10%still updating
Chevron (CVX)three days earlier+4.58%final price
Chevron (CVX)five days earlier+1.76%final price
EISthat day-2.31%still updating
EISthree days earlier-0.28%final price
EISfive days earlier+2.68%final price
IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA)that day-1.30%still updating
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
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)that day-5.78%still updating
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)three days earlier+5.88%final price
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)five days earlier+4.03%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)that day-8.53%still updating
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)that day-5.59%still updating
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE)three days earlier+4.95%final price
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE)five days earlier+2.64%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)that day-4.87%still updating
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).

Who gains and who loses around United States Oil Fund (USO)

Likely winners

  • XOM ExxonMobil Holdings

    In “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections,” 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

    Chevron (CVX) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections.” 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

    For “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections,” 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

    United States Oil Fund (USO) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections.” Reason on file: United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story

  • XLE Select Sector Spdr Tr

    Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections.” 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 tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections,” 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

  • BWET Amplify Commodity Trust

    Amplify Commodity Trust (BWET) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections.” 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 4 Nov 2026, “Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections” 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

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 in the story, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) price range

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.

How solid the energy case looks

54 out of 100Price not final

“Oil tumbles 9% as investors eye possible end to Iran war after US midterm elections” scores 54 out of 100. The score uses 2 sources, and 8 linked companies. The price is not final yet.