NEW YORK, Jan 19, 2026, 13:49 EST — Market closed
- U.S. energy shares reopen Tuesday as oil prices hold steady
- The sector closed last week close to its highs, driven by crude prices and geopolitical tensions
- Traders await delayed U.S. inventory figures while keeping an eye on Europe’s Greenland discussions
U.S. energy shares kicked off the week on hold as Wall Street remained closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Crude prices stayed confined within a tight range.
This matters because the group is trading like an oil proxy once more. When crude prices spike on headline risk, energy shares tend to react within minutes. This week, both demand and supply stories face new challenges.
The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund, a popular benchmark for the sector, ended Friday up 0.17% at $47.69. 1
The S&P 500 Energy sector index closed Friday with a 0.21% gain and has climbed 6.78% year to date, beating the broader market so far in 2026. 2
Brent crude, the global benchmark, inched up to around $64 a barrel on Monday. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) held steady near $59. Analysts noted easing concerns over Iran and shifting attention to Greenland, alongside worries that a widening U.S.-Europe dispute might dent demand. Janiv Shah of Rystad highlighted the market’s focus on “how deep any fallout between the U.S. and Europe could be.” John Evans at PVM flagged risks to Russian infrastructure and distillate supplies, while Phil Flynn from Price Futures Group described crude as caught between “competing bullish and bearish forces.” 3
Equities stayed shut, leaving traders to watch futures and options positioning as they prepped for a shortened week. Tuesday’s open now hinges on how crude moves in the coming hours.
The holiday means U.S. stock and bond markets will be closed Monday, leading to thinner liquidity and shifting most price discovery to Tuesday. 4
The next key figure to watch: U.S. petroleum inventories. The Energy Information Administration will release its weekly petroleum status report on Thursday, Jan. 22, adjusted for the holiday schedule. 5
Traders will also be keeping an eye on whether the Greenland dispute remains a brief diplomatic flare-up or escalates enough to unsettle growth forecasts—an important factor for fuel demand and refinery margins.
There’s a clear risk on the downside. Should geopolitical tensions ease rapidly and investors turn their attention back to demand concerns, crude prices could drop suddenly, putting energy stocks at risk following their strong start this year.
Tuesday’s key signal is clear: will crude punch through its narrow range in the morning session? After that, eyes shift to Thursday’s U.S. inventory data and Europe’s talks on Greenland, both critical for hints on demand and policy risks.
