Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) ended Monday’s session lower, then edged slightly higher in after-hours trading—while oil prices slid to levels not seen in years and investors positioned for a major wave of delayed U.S. economic data due before the next market open.
As of 5:11 p.m. ET, Exxon shares were $117.90 in extended-hours trading, up $0.14 (+0.12%) after closing at $117.76, down $1.06 (-0.89%) on the day. [1]
Below is what mattered for XOM after the bell on Monday, December 15, 2025, and what investors should have on their radar before the Tuesday, December 16 opening bell.
XOM stock recap: how Exxon traded on Dec. 15
Exxon’s move on Monday was notable less for its size and more for the backdrop: a renewed downdraft in crude and a broader market leaning risk-off into a packed data week.
Key session stats for Exxon Mobil on Dec. 15:
- Open: $119.01
- High: $119.03
- Low: $116.85
- Close: $117.76 (-0.89%)
- Volume: ~16.3 million shares [2]
In after-hours trading, the stock was only modestly changed, suggesting no major late-breaking company-specific catalyst immediately hit the tape after the close. [3]
The big driver behind energy weakness: oil slid again, hitting multi-year lows
For energy stocks like Exxon, crude prices are often the fastest-moving input into sentiment—even though Exxon’s downstream and chemicals businesses can partially offset oil swings.
On Monday, crude prices settled sharply lower, with multiple reports highlighting multi-year lows:
- NYMEX January WTI: down $0.62 to $56.82/bbl
- ICE February Brent: down $0.56 to $60.56/bbl [4]
A Platts market note described crude futures as falling for a fourth straight session and settling at the lowest levels since early February 2021, attributing pressure to oversupply fears that have outweighed geopolitical risks. [5]
That crude slide showed up across the sector during the session. A Reuters market note also flagged the S&P 500 energy index as down on the day while oil weakened, with Exxon listed among the major decliners. [6]
Broader market context: Wall Street closed slightly lower ahead of major data
Exxon didn’t trade in a vacuum. U.S. equities ended modestly down as investors braced for a “busy week” of delayed macro releases:
- Dow: -0.09%
- S&P 500: -0.16%
- Nasdaq: -0.59% [7]
That matters for XOM because large-cap energy often trades with a blend of:
- crude price direction, and
- broad risk appetite (rates, macro surprises, index flows).
Today’s Exxon-specific news flow: what crossed the wires on Dec. 15
1) Reuters: Exxon among bidders still in race for Lukoil’s foreign assets
A Reuters report published Monday said the U.S. Treasury rejected a bid led by Xtellus Partners for Lukoil’s foreign assets, but noted that Exxon Mobil and other major players remain in the running. The assets were described as valued around $22 billion and include upstream, refining, and a large retail network; Reuters also noted the U.S. extended a negotiation deadline to Jan. 17, 2026. [8]
For XOM investors, this is not an immediate earnings catalyst, but it is relevant in two ways:
- It keeps Exxon’s name in the conversation for potential large-scale international asset opportunities.
- It underscores the degree to which sanctions policy and licensing can shape deal outcomes in the energy space.
2) Insider trade headline: a vice president sold shares
MarketBeat reported that an Exxon vice president, Darrin Talley, sold 3,000 shares at an average price of $118.75 (a transaction dated Dec. 15), and it characterized the sale as an SEC-filed insider transaction. [9]
One insider sale doesn’t automatically signal anything fundamental—executives sell stock for many reasons—but it’s part of the day’s “what happened” checklist that active traders often monitor.
3) The “corporate plan afterglow” is still shaping Wall Street commentary
Even though Exxon’s big strategic update was last week, it continued to drive Monday’s research tone and valuation debate.
Exxon said on Dec. 9 it raised its corporate plan through 2030, including a $5 billion increase in projected earnings and cash flow growth versus its prior plan (without increasing capital spending), and highlighted progress on cost savings and emissions intensity targets. [10]
Reuters also reported the company is targeting $25 billion in earnings growth from 2024 to 2030 and confirmed a CFO transition effective Feb. 1, 2026. [11]
This matters today because many “Monday notes” and screeners still treated Exxon as a “plan upgrade story”—even as crude weakens.
Analyst forecasts and price targets: bullish tones, but valuation debates persist
UBS reiteration: Buy rating and $145 target (per Investing.com)
An Investing.com report published Monday said UBS reiterated a Buy rating and a $145 price target, citing Exxon’s corporate plan update and pointing to the Permian Basin as a key driver of raised 2030 guidance. [12]
The same report also referenced Morgan Stanley adjusting its target to $137, while noting the updated growth targets and capex posture. [13]
Consensus framing: “Moderate Buy” and ~$129 target (MarketBeat)
MarketBeat summarized a broad set of analyst opinions and cited a consensus view of “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $129.24 (as reported in its Dec. 15 write-up). [14]
Options/flow commentary referenced an upgrade at BNP Paribas
A TipRanks/TheFly note described options tone as “modestly bullish” and specifically mentioned an upgrade to Neutral at BNPP (BNP Paribas) in the context of positioning. [15]
The valuation question: oil-price forecasts are the elephant in the room
A Nasdaq/Zacks analysis piece published Monday argued Exxon has room to grow given its upgraded plan, but warned investors not to ignore macro commodity assumptions. It cited the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s forecast of WTI averaging $51.42 per barrel in 2026, below expected 2025 levels, and noted rising inventories as a headwind for crude pricing. [16]
That’s the key tension for XOM into year-end: strong company execution vs. weaker forward oil-price expectations.
What the options market suggested heading into Tuesday
If you’re watching near-term trading setups, the options market gives a rough “expected move” framework.
TipRanks/TheFly reported on Monday:
- Options volume around 45,000 contracts
- Calls leading puts with a put/call ratio of 0.41 (vs. a “typical” level near 0.58, per the note)
- Implied volatility (IV30) near 19.11
- An expected daily move of about $1.42 [17]
Translation: options pricing implied a relatively contained one-day move for Exxon—despite the heavy macro calendar. That can change quickly if Tuesday’s data shocks crude or the broader market.
What to know before the market opens tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025)
1) The biggest pre-market catalyst: the U.S. jobs report is due at 8:30 a.m. ET
The Bureau of Labor Statistics calendar shows the Employment Situation (November 2025) scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 8:30 a.m. ET—one hour before the opening bell. [18]
But this isn’t a normal jobs report week. Reuters explained that due to the government shutdown:
- The release will include combined October and November employment information,
- Some key details will be missing (including October’s unemployment rate, because a household survey wasn’t conducted),
- And data quality/coverage issues may affect how investors interpret the numbers. [19]
Investopedia also previewed the report as highly anticipated and noted it combines delayed data; it highlighted forecasts that the labor market is cooling and could influence rate expectations. [20]
Why XOM investors should care: jobs data can move:
- the U.S. dollar,
- Treasury yields,
- recession vs. soft-landing narratives, and
- crude demand expectations—often feeding directly into energy equities.
2) Inflation data is next: CPI arrives Thursday, but with gaps
BLS said it will publish November 2025 CPI on Dec. 18, and also warned that missing October data creates unusual limitations (including not publishing some October CPI aggregates and missing some one-month percent changes). [21]
Reuters’ explainer emphasized those gaps and the potential for unusual volatility in interpretation. [22]
This matters for Exxon because inflation and rate expectations can influence:
- equity risk appetite, and
- the dollar (which can affect commodity pricing).
3) Overnight oil direction still sets the tone for early trading in XOM
With WTI settling at $56.82 and Brent at $60.56, the market is sitting near technical/psychological levels not seen in years. [23]
Key oil narratives in play (and worth watching into the Asia/Europe sessions and into Tuesday’s premarket):
- supply/oversupply concerns and inventory expectations [24]
- geopolitical risk around Venezuela and the potential implications of Ukraine-Russia peace talks on future supply expectations [25]
4) “Headline risk” watch: sanctions, bids, and energy geopolitics
Given Reuters’ reporting on Lukoil asset bids and licensing constraints, any additional headlines on sanctions policy, licenses, or bid updates can create quick sentiment swings—even if they don’t change Exxon’s near-term earnings. [26]
Bottom line: Exxon after-hours is calm—but Tuesday morning likely won’t be
Exxon stock ended Dec. 15 down about 0.9% and ticked slightly higher after-hours, but the calm in extended trading shouldn’t be mistaken for a quiet setup. [27]
Going into Tuesday (Dec. 16), the most important “before the bell” variables for XOM are:
- Crude’s next move after WTI and Brent sank to multi-year lows at the settlement, [28]
- The 8:30 a.m. ET U.S. jobs report, which is delayed and unusually incomplete due to shutdown disruptions, [29]
- Wall Street’s push-pull view: upbeat on Exxon’s 2030 plan and targets, but increasingly sensitive to lower oil-price forecasts for 2026. [30]
References
1. finance.yahoo.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. finance.yahoo.com, 4. www.tradingview.com, 5. www.tradingview.com, 6. www.tradingview.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com, 10. investor.exxonmobil.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.investing.com, 13. www.investing.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.tipranks.com, 16. www.nasdaq.com, 17. www.tipranks.com, 18. www.bls.gov, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.investopedia.com, 21. www.bls.gov, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.tradingview.com, 24. www.tradingview.com, 25. www.tradingview.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. finance.yahoo.com, 28. www.tradingview.com, 29. www.bls.gov, 30. investor.exxonmobil.com
