London, Jan 25, 2026, 19:42 (GMT) — Market has closed.
Shell is considering selling its Vaca Muerta shale assets in Argentina, having approached potential buyers recently, sources familiar with the discussions revealed. This move could bring in billions of dollars. The company declined to comment. Shell entered the play in 2012 and currently operates four licence blocks, along with stakes in three others run by state oil firm YPF. Andy McConn, director at Enverus Intelligence Research, noted the assets can break even at Brent prices below $50, adding their “economics and scale screen favorably versus other global shale assets.” 1
The weekend setup is crucial as Shell prepares for a packed schedule of oil major earnings and policy updates. Investors are scrambling to figure out two key points: the direction of cash flow and where the next major spending decisions will land.
Oil prices jumped again, quickly boosting integrated majors. Brent climbed $1.82, or 2.8%, closing Friday at $65.88 a barrel. U.S. crude added $1.71, or 2.9%, to $61.07 after Washington rolled out fresh Iran sanctions and sent warships to the area. 2
Shell shares (SHEL.L) closed Friday 0.5% higher, fluctuating between 2,678p and 2,722p during the session. Trading volume hit roughly 9.9 million shares, per Hargreaves Lansdown data. 3
Nigeria has greenlit “investment-linked” incentives for Shell’s Bonga South West deepwater oilfield, following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Shell CEO Wael Sawan. Sawan hinted the project might get a formal go-ahead in 2027. Tinubu emphasized, “These incentives are not blanket concessions,” and pushed for a final investment decision within his first term. Sawan estimated the total capital and operating expenditure at around $20 billion. Exxon Mobil and ENI units also hold stakes, with Shell controlling 65% after acquiring a share from TotalEnergies. 4
Shell continued its share buyback, picking up 572,214 shares on the London Stock Exchange and another 574,982 on Euronext Amsterdam on Jan. 23. The volume-weighted average price stood at 27.0283 pounds in London and 31.3038 euros in Amsterdam. This move is part of a buyback programme set to run until Jan. 30. 5
There are some risks, though. The Argentina talks might stall without a deal, and crude prices could send valuations tumbling. Plus, any sale faces the usual hurdles—timing and buyer interest aren’t guaranteed. As for Nigeria, the incentives remain vague, and the investment decision timeline could easily slip.
Traders are set to focus on crude prices early in the week, then shift attention to Big Oil earnings. Exxon Mobil and Chevron report Friday, and their results could shift sentiment throughout the sector—even for those not releasing earnings that day. 6
Shell’s next major checkpoint is fast approaching. The company set its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings release for Feb. 5. An earlier update flagged that the Chemicals segment will report a “significant loss,” while Trading & Optimisation profits are expected to slide “significantly” from the previous quarter. Company-compiled consensus figures are due Jan. 28. 7
