Geopolitics Alpha

Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case

Published . Updated .

Key takeaways

  • Fed Governor Chris Waller sees the AI buildout as a source of inflation.
  • Exposed: USO, XLE, TIP, XOM, CVX
  • Market reaction: USO +2.4% on the day (still updating); XLE +1.6% on the day (still updating); COP +1.4% on the day (still updating)

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Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case

Fed Governor Chris Waller sees the AI buildout as a source of inflation. His boss, Kevin Warsh sees it as a productivity driver, an inflation cure. Read more here...

Directly affected

  • No company is named in this report.

Indirectly affected

  • TIP iShares TIPS Bond ETF+0.4% 19d

    iShares TIPS Bond ETF: it is a common hedge when prices rise. Linked by “inflation” (inflation and prices) in this story.

  • XLP Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR-1.7% 9d

    Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR: it is a common hedge when prices rise. Linked by “inflation” (inflation and prices) in this story.

  • USO United States Oil Fund-1.1% 30d

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

  • TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF-1.2% 19d

    iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF: Treasury bond prices move with interest-rate expectations. Linked by “fed” (US interest rates) in this story.

  • 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+3.3% 30d

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

  • WMT Walmart+20.2% 30d

    Walmart (variety stores): big consumer-goods sellers feel price rises in costs and shopper demand. Linked by “inflation” (inflation and prices) in this story.

  • COST Costco Wholesale+17.1% 30d

    Costco Wholesale (variety stores): big consumer-goods sellers feel price rises in costs and shopper demand. Linked by “inflation” (inflation and prices) in this story.

Price reaction, T-5 to T+3

TickerT-5T-3T-1T0T+1T+2T+3
TIP+0.74%+0.94%base-0.05%after closeafter closeafter close
XLP+1.01%-1.04%base-0.67%after closeafter closeafter close
USO+2.78%+4.95%base+2.37%after closeafter closeafter close
TLT+1.08%+1.27%base-0.48%after closeafter closeafter close
XOM+3.07%+0.89%base+1.25%after closeafter closeafter close
CVX+2.73%+0.67%base+0.78%after closeafter closeafter close
WMT+2.97%-0.02%base-1.30%after closeafter closeafter close
COST-1.85%-1.20%base+1.05%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.

Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case Seeking Alpha

Source: Seeking Alpha

United States Oil Fund (USO) compared with energy stocks (XLE) since 11 Nov 2026

CompanyWhenMoveStatus
Costco Wholesale (COST)that day+1.05%still updating
Costco Wholesale (COST)three days earlier-1.20%final price
Costco Wholesale (COST)five days earlier-1.85%final price
Chevron (CVX)that day+0.78%still updating
Chevron (CVX)three days earlier+0.67%final price
Chevron (CVX)five days earlier+2.73%final price
Ishares Tr (TIP)that day-0.05%still updating
Ishares Tr (TIP)three days earlier+0.94%final price
Ishares Tr (TIP)five days earlier+0.74%final price
TLTthat day-0.48%still updating
TLTthree days earlier+1.27%final price
TLTfive days earlier+1.08%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)that day+2.37%still updating
United States Oil Fund (USO)three days earlier+4.95%final price
United States Oil Fund (USO)five days earlier+2.78%final price
Walmart (WMT)that day-1.30%still updating
Walmart (WMT)three days earlier-0.02%final price
Walmart (WMT)five days earlier+2.97%final price
XLPthat day-0.67%still updating
XLPthree days earlier-1.04%final price
XLPfive days earlier+1.01%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)that day+1.25%still updating
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)three days earlier+0.89%final price
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM)five days earlier+3.07%final price

Congressional trades 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).

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

The side that tends to collect

  • XOM ExxonMobil Holdings

    ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 11 Nov 2026 story “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case.” 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 11 Nov 2026 story “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case.” 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 11 Nov 2026 story “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case.” 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 11 Nov 2026 story “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case.” Reason on file: Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story

  • TIP Ishares Tr

    In “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case,” Ishares Tr (TIP) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: iShares TIPS Bond ETF: it is a common hedge when prices rise. Linked by “inflation” (inflation and prices) in this story

  • WMT Walmart

    For “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case,” Walmart (WMT) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Walmart (variety stores): big consumer-goods sellers feel price rises in costs and shopper demand. Linked by “inflation” (inflation and prices) in this story

How energy news reaches United States Oil Fund (USO)

The 11 Nov 2026 story “Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case” names United States Oil Fund (USO) because of Energy.

What ties United States Oil Fund (USO) to the headline 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

TIP traded between 103.77 and 105.61 across 16 sessions. The latest close on file is 105.27. 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.

How solid the energy case looks

46 out of 100Price not final

“Waller Threatens A Half-Point Hike While Oil Falls And Productivity Surges Beneath His Inflation Case” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 8 linked companies. The price is not final yet.