Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices
Published . Updated .
With fuel costs reaching historic highs, Washington is pulling every foreign policy lever it can find to lower energy prices. […]
Directly affected
- No company is named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- USO United States Oil Fund+9.3% 30d
United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story.
- XLE Energy Select Sector SPDR+6.9% 30d
Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story.
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings+10.9% 15d
ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story.
- CVX Chevron+10.5% 30d
Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story.
- COP ConocoPhillips+8.3% 30d
ConocoPhillips (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story.
- SHEL Shell+0.1% 13d
Shell (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (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 | -1.54% | -1.29% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XLE | -0.51% | -2.20% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XOM | -1.45% | -2.77% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| CVX | -1.54% | -2.69% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| COP | -1.71% | -3.24% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| SHELNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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.
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Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices Defense Priorities
Source: Defense Priorities
The price since 31 Oct 2026: United States Oil Fund (USO) versus the S&P 500
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conocophillips (COP) | three days earlier | -3.24% | final price |
| Conocophillips (COP) | five days earlier | -1.71% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | three days earlier | -2.69% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | five days earlier | -1.54% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | three days earlier | -1.29% | final price |
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | five days earlier | -1.54% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | three days earlier | -2.20% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) | five days earlier | -0.51% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | three days earlier | -2.77% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | five days earlier | -1.45% | 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 17 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 61 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 17 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 38 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 59 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 66 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 68 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 71 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 “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices,” 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 “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
- XLE Select Sector Spdr Tr
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLE) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 31 Oct 2026 story “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices.” Reason on file: Energy Select Sector SPDR: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 31 Oct 2026 story “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices.” Reason on file: ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
- CVX Chevron
Chevron (CVX) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 31 Oct 2026 story “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices.” Reason on file: Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
- COP Conocophillips
In “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices,” 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 “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
- SHEL Shell
Shell (SHEL) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 31 Oct 2026 story “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices.” Reason on file: Shell (crude petroleum and natural gas): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
How “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices” reaches United States Oil Fund (USO)
United States Oil Fund (USO) is the company in “Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices,” the 31 Oct 2026 this story story.
What ties United States Oil Fund (USO) to the headline is this: United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “fuel prices” (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 “fuel prices” (oil) in this story
Price levels for United States Oil Fund (USO)
USO traded between 141.82 and 169.96 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 168.21. XLE traded between 61.91 and 69.86 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 68.72. XOM traded between 172.72 and 184.89 across 13 sessions. The latest close on file is 183.13.
What the saved facts support for United States Oil Fund (USO)
46 out of 100
“Washington’s foreign policy scramble to lower fuel prices” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 6 linked companies.