Sydney, Jan 17, 2026, 17:34 AEDT — Market closed
Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS.AX) shares ended Friday down 1.42%, closing at A$23.68. This pullback pared gains from the prior two sessions, leaving the stock roughly 0.4% higher for the week.
The pullback followed a steep drop in crude prices the previous day, with Brent and U.S. crude both falling roughly 4%. This came after U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks dampened concerns about Iran, coupled with U.S. inventory data revealing a significant build, according to a Reuters report.
Woodside heads into next week’s session with oil prices still unsettled, as investors await the company’s fourth-quarter results, set for release on Jan. 28.
The broader market showed strength Friday as the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.48%, closing at 8,903.90.
Woodside revealed new LNG business late in the week, announcing a five-year sale-and-purchase agreement (SPA) with Japan’s JERA. The deal covers three liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes annually—roughly 200,000 tonnes—delivered each December through February, starting in 2027. Woodside executive George Gilboy described the contract as proof of the company’s role as a “dependable energy partner.” JERA LNG head Kosuke Tanaka said it would “enhance our supply resilience and flexibility,” with Japan’s JBIC also backing the agreement. Business Wire
The contract specifies a “delivered ex-ship” term — industry shorthand meaning the seller retains responsibility for the cargo until it arrives at the destination port — a detail that gains significance when freight and shipping markets tighten.
Oil held steady Friday, with Brent finishing at $64.13 a barrel, rising 0.6%. A number of investors were covering shorts ahead of the extended U.S. holiday weekend, Reuters reported, while concerns about a potential U.S. strike on Iran continued to weigh.
Woodside reports its Scarborough Energy Project is now more than 91% finished, not counting modifications to Pluto Train 1. The company aims to ship the first LNG cargo in the latter half of 2026.
Still, the stock carries a hefty dose of execution risk. A Reuters analysis last month highlighted mounting cost and timeline pressures on major LNG projects, cautioning that an upcoming surge in global LNG supply could weigh on prices. This comes as Woodside deals with a leadership shakeup following CEO Meg O’Neill’s exit to join BP.
With the ASX closed over the weekend, the immediate focus is clear: keep an eye on crude oil, then Woodside. Once trading starts again, investors will probably track oil prices closely and gauge sentiment around Woodside’s recent LNG contract surge, ahead of the bigger test on Jan. 28 when the quarterly report comes out.
