NEW YORK, January 19, 2026, 12:26 EST — The market has closed.
Oil stocks reopened Tuesday with crude clinging near $64 a barrel after supply worries tied to Iran faded and traders shifted focus to the U.S.-Europe spat over Greenland. Brent inched up a penny to $64.14 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) added 7 cents, landing at $59.51. “The market is now focusing on the Greenland situation … any trade war expansion could impact demand,” said Janiv Shah, analyst at Rystad Energy. Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group described the scene as a market “locked in by competing bullish and bearish forces” that might push prices into “sideways trade.” (Reuters)
U.S. cash equity markets were closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but sentiment turned negative elsewhere after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on European goods related to his Greenland plans. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped over 1.2%, while oil prices fell amid fears a broader trade conflict could curb growth and demand. “There is obviously a response … to the new tariff threats,” said George Lagarias, chief economist at Forvis Mazars. (Reuters)
This is crucial as energy stocks return from the long weekend, with crude futures juggling two shifts: stripping out the supply premium and spotlighting demand again. Tuesday’s early action will probably focus less on company news and more on whether crude can maintain its range once U.S. traders step back in.
Exxon Mobil closed the latest U.S. cash session at $129.89, gaining roughly 0.6% from its previous close. Chevron held steady around $166.26. ConocoPhillips dropped about 0.8% to $98.19, and Occidental Petroleum slipped 1.1% to $42.70. Refiners lagged, with Marathon Petroleum down 1.1% and Valero off about 0.6%. Meanwhile, oilfield services company SLB inched up 0.3%.
Inside the sector, cross-currents are becoming clear. Integrated producers often move nearly in sync with crude on days like this. But refiners can head in the opposite direction if the focus shifts toward demand and margins instead of barrels in the ground.
The risk scenario is straightforward, though the timing remains uncertain. Should the Greenland dispute escalate into a wider tariff battle, demand forecasts could quickly weaken, dragging crude prices down. This would weigh on the group, even if supply news remains steady.
On the flip side, any new supply shock—be it in the Middle East or beyond—can swiftly shake up crude prices and drag energy stocks along. This month has already shown traders just how quickly that premium can spike and then vanish.
U.S. inventory data is the next key event for the oil market. The Energy Information Administration will release its Weekly Petroleum Status Report on Thursday, January 22, pushed back a day because of Monday’s government shutdown. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Traders are set to monitor any fresh tariff developments and geopolitical changes affecting crude. Tuesday’s reopening will reveal if oil stocks stick with crude’s momentum or respond to the wider market jitters.
