US airstrikes hit Iran near Hormuz, oil surges — ride the energy rally with Exxon and Chevron
The U.S. just carried out fresh airstrikes on Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil-shipping chokepoint. Oil prices immediately surged nearly 3%, pushing Brent crude toward $97 a barrel.
Idea
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply, and every flare-up in the region has historically pushed energy stocks higher over the following weeks. This is now the second round of U.S. strikes in three days, which means the conflict is escalating rather than cooling off — exactly the pattern that kept oil elevated during past Middle East crises. Oil majors like ExxonMobil and Chevron tend to move in step with crude prices but often lag the initial commodity spike, giving traders a window to ride the catch-up. With the Fed's preferred inflation gauge also expected to rise tomorrow, the market is pricing in a scenario where energy costs stay stubbornly high.