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Jan 5, 2026 12:00 PM

Biggest Surprise Of 2026 So Far? Oil Stocks

The biggest surprise of 2026, so far, is not a tech breakthrough or a shift in interest rates—it is the sudden, explosive revival of the oil sector following the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. 

CVX stock is climbing. See the chart and price action here. 

Energy stocks ended 2025 as a beaten-down industry plagued by a global supply glut and the steepest annual price declines since the pandemic. Today, they’re reinvigorated after President Donald Trump pledged to “unlock” Venezuela’s vast oil reserves—the world’s largest.

Read Next: How Trump Moved Stocks In 2025: Crypto, Drones, Health Care Sectors

Geopolitical Shockwaves In Venezuela

Some analysts warn that a sudden influx of Venezuelan crude could further suppress oil prices long-term. 

Goldman Sachs analyst Daan Struyven cautioned that a successful revitalization of ...