While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits
Published . Updated .
“All the excess cash we’re accumulating will ultimately be directed toward our owners,” one oil executive bragged.
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 “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.
- UNG United States Natural Gas Fund-11.9% 30d
United States Natural Gas Fund: it follows natural-gas prices. Linked by “gas” (natural gas) in this story.
- ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF+0.3% 30d
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF: it holds defense and aerospace contractors. Linked by “war” (defense) in this story.
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings+10.9% 15d
ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- CVX Chevron+10.5% 30d
Chevron (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (oil) in this story.
- COP ConocoPhillips+8.3% 30d
ConocoPhillips (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “oil” (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 “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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USONo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| XLENo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| UNGNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ITA | -5.65% | -3.85% | base | -2.12% | after close | after close | after close |
| XOM | +0.03% | -1.79% | base | +2.24% | after close | after close | after close |
| CVX | +0.78% | -1.37% | base | +1.82% | after close | after close | after close |
| COPNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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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While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits Truthout
Source: Truthout
United States Oil Fund (USO) since this story, compared with the market
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron (CVX) | that day | +1.82% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | three days earlier | -1.37% | final price |
| Chevron (CVX) | five days earlier | +0.78% | final price |
| IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) | that day | -2.12% | final price |
| IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) | three days earlier | -3.85% | final price |
| IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) | five days earlier | -5.65% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | that day | +2.24% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | three days earlier | -1.79% | final price |
| ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) | five days earlier | +0.03% | 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 16 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 60 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 16 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 37 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 58 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 65 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 67 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 70 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael T. McCaul sold Eqt (EQT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 27 Aug 2026. That is 64 days before publication. Filed 14 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought Eqt (EQT), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 17 Aug 2026. That is 74 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael T. McCaul sold Eqt (EQT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 14 Aug 2026. That is 77 days before publication. Filed 14 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).
United States Oil Fund (USO) on one side of this energy story
Likely winners
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings
ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) tends to benefit, medium confidence in the 30 Oct 2026 story “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits.” 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 30 Oct 2026 story “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits.” 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
For “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits,” 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 “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits,” 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
- UNG United States Natural Gas Fund
For “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits,” United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: United States Natural Gas Fund: it follows natural-gas prices. Linked by “gas” (natural gas) in this story
- ITA IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 30 Oct 2026 story “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits.” Reason on file: iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF: it holds defense and aerospace contractors. Linked by “war” (defense) in this story
United States Oil Fund (USO) and the energy link
United States Oil Fund (USO) is the company in “While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits,” the 30 Oct 2026 Energy story.
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 and price levels for United States Oil Fund (USO)
UNG traded between 9.11 and 11.43 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 9.19. 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.
How solid the energy case looks
46 out of 100
“While Americans Paid $148B Extra on Gas Amid War, Big Oil Made $130B in Profits” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 8 linked companies.