Wall Street just sent oil stocks a brutal message after Iran’s move

Wall Street just sent oil stocks a brutal message after Iran’s move
Wall Street just sent oil stocks a brutal message after Iran’s move

US stocks leap April 17,closing on a very healthy note to end the following week Iran he said Strait of Hormuz will remain operational during the Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

That eased fears of a large oil supply shock. He Dow rose more than 900 points, the S&P 500 exceeded 7,100 for the first time, and the Nasdaq also reached a new intraday high. At the same time, oil prices are now in free fall. Brent Crude fell to around $88.90 a barrel and American crude oil fell to around $83.08.

Don’t confuse this with a simple relief demonstration.

Investors quickly began to exit oil reserves and in other areas that will benefit from the rebound. That’s the real story. Wall Street is now wondering whether the market’s next big winners will be airlines, cruise lines and consumer stocks. Energy stocks, on the other hand, are losing some of the advantage they had during the recent surge in oil prices.

If all the i’s are crossed, then oil stocks will emerge as the biggest losers as they are most closely tied to higher prices. crude oil prices.

Valero Energy (VLO) was down about 7.1% on the day. APA Corp. (apa) fell approximately 5.9%. Exxon Mobile (XOM) fell by approximately 3.7%, while Chevron (CLC) lost about 2.4%. That means investors hit companies that were hardest hit by oil prices the hardest, while the largest integrated oil companies fared a little better.

Related: Exxon Mobil Stock Just Got a Warning Wall Street Can’t Ignore

Why does that matter?

Because in the case of energy stocks, the story is simple and straightforward. If shipping via Hormuz remained under pressure, the price of oil would be rising and producers I would still win. Iran’s movement It did not eliminate all risks, but it did significantly weaken the thesis.

This does not mean that the history of oil However, it’s over. He US Energy Information Administration he said in his April outlook that Brent could remain very high this year, peaking around $115 in the second quarter and then falling to around $88 in the fourth quarter as supply slowly returns. Reuters also reported thatGoldman Sachs cut its oil forecast for the second quarter of 2026 to $90 per Brent and $87 for American crude oil.

That means Friday’s drop could be a rebootnot a collapse.

Dow Jones Jumps 900 Points as Oil Stocks Hit by Surprising ReversalPhoto by Michael M. Santiago on Getty Images

Yeah oil keeps falling, travel stocks They will end up becoming the biggest winners.

royal caribbean (RCL) rose approximately 7.9%, and united airlines (UAL) gained about 6.9% as markets focus on the downside fuel costs helping profits. This market movement is important for more than just oil. More economical energy can help lower inflationease the burden on consumersand do travel and other businesses that depend on fuel are more attractive.

The next step depends on oil.

If the price of crude oil continues to decline, stocks like Valero and APA could remain under pressure. But cruise lines and airlines could continue to rise. But the drop in energy stocks could be excessive if there are still supply problems and oil prices remain high. The war has cost more than $50 billion in oil, and some of the damage could take months to repair.

  • valero was the biggest loser in oil stocks, losing about 7.1%.

  • Another big loser is apawhich is down approximately 5.9%.

  • royal caribbean and united airlines They are the biggest beneficiaries of the fall in oil prices.

  • That financial world What he’s betting now is lower oil prices, less inflationary pressure and a shift away from energy leaders.

Here’s the short version: People on Wall Street are starting to get over the oil trade panic. In April 17People sold oil stocks and bought stocks that perform better when fuel prices go down. If that trend continues, the next market leaders may not be energy companies. They could be the best companies when oil is no longer the main problem.

Related: Oil Traders See Something in the Iran Truce That Stocks Don’t

This story was originally published by TheStreet on April 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Automotive section. Add TheStreet as a preferred source by clicking here.

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