London, Jan 21, 2026, 08:37 GMT — Regular session
- Shell shares edged up 0.3% in early London trading, following strength seen in several UK blue chips
- The company announced a shake-up in its executive committee, revealing that a senior director will step down at the end of February
- Oil prices dropped roughly 1.5%, putting pressure on energy stocks
Shell’s shares on the London market (SHEL.L) ticked up 0.3% to 2,729 pence by 0824 GMT following an announcement of changes to its executive committee. BP’s stock climbed 0.6% during the same period. 1
This shift is significant as Shell approaches its earnings season, with investors zeroed in on cost control and execution, not just oil prices. The streamlining of senior leadership is seen as part of a wider effort to simplify the company and rein in expenses.
The tape remained choppy. Oil prices dipped during the day, and broader markets stayed in a risk-off mode, capping gains in energy stocks despite some company-specific news.
Shell announced that Robin Mooldijk, president of Projects and Technology, will leave his post on Feb. 28, reducing the executive committee to eight members. CEO Wael Sawan expressed gratitude for Mooldijk’s “significant contribution” and tied the move to efforts to merge technical units with business lines to boost cost competitiveness. 2
Shell announced on Tuesday that it repurchased 659,433 shares on the London Stock Exchange and 664,831 shares on Euronext Amsterdam for cancellation, under its ongoing buyback programme. The company reported a volume-weighted average price of 27.2191 pounds on the LSE and 31.3854 euros on Amsterdam’s exchange. 3
Oil prices dipped early Thursday. Brent futures dropped 1.5% to $63.95 a barrel by 0745 GMT, while U.S. WTI eased 1.3% to $59.58. Traders are cautious ahead of potential increases in U.S. crude stockpiles and new geopolitical tensions. IG analyst Tony Sycamore described the Kazakhstan outage as “temporary,” but Eurasia Group’s Gregory Brew warned that tensions near Iran are “likely to remain high.” 4
Risk appetite has taken a hit across the board. Investors worldwide are dialing back positions, spooked by fresh trade-war jitters stemming from U.S.-Europe disputes. Westpac economist Mantas Vanagas pointed to the “sell America” trade as the main force behind the significant overnight shifts. 5
Shell faces a familiar tussle: balancing capital returns against volatile commodity prices. While buybacks help support the share price, the stock’s movement still closely tracks crude and gas prices, especially when news stokes worries about growth.
But the downside is obvious. If oil continues to drop due to a larger-than-expected inventory build or if tariff threats dampen demand, energy shares could tumble fast — and management changes rarely inspire confidence when execution falters.
Traders are set to focus on the delayed U.S. inventory reports due this week, looking for clues on oil’s path. After that, all eyes turn to Shell’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings and briefing slated for Feb. 5. 6
