Energy Stocks Shift Direction in Premarket Trading as Oil Prices Drop 13% Following Trump's Delay of Strikes on Iran
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 23 2026
0mins
Should l Buy COP?
Source: moomoo
Energy Stocks Decline: Energy stocks have experienced a significant drop of 13% following recent developments in the market.
Trump's Decision: The decline in energy stocks is attributed to former President Trump's postponement of strikes on Iran, which has affected market sentiment.
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Analyst Views on COP
Wall Street analysts forecast COP stock price to fall
19 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
3 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 118.900
Low
98.00
Averages
115.67
High
133.00
Current: 118.900
Low
98.00
Averages
115.67
High
133.00
About COP
ConocoPhillips is an exploration and production company. Its Alaska segment primarily explores for, produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and NGLs. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations located in the 48 contiguous states in the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Canadian operations consist of the Surmont oil sands development in Alberta, the liquids-rich Montney unconventional play in British Columbia and commercial operations. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations principally located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, Qatar, Libya, Equatorial Guinea and commercial and terminalling operations in the United Kingdom. Asia Pacific segment has exploration and production operations in China, Malaysia, Australia and commercial operations in China, Singapore and Japan. Other International segment includes interests in Colombia as well as contingencies associated with prior operations in other countries.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Project Approval: Norway's energy ministry has approved ConocoPhillips' development and operating plans in the Greater Ekofisk area, a move expected to significantly enhance gas deliveries to Europe and strengthen the company's competitive position in international markets.
- Investment Scale: ConocoPhillips and its partners plan to invest approximately 20 billion Norwegian crowns (about $2.16 billion) to restart the Albuskjell, Vest Ekofisk, and Tommeliten Gamma fields, which were shut down in 2019, potentially generating substantial returns for the company.
- Resource Potential: The PPF project is expected to deliver between 90 million and 120 million barrels of recoverable gas and condensate, further solidifying ConocoPhillips' position in the energy market and meeting the increasing energy demands in Europe.
- Production Timeline: First gas production is anticipated to commence in the fourth quarter of 2028, providing the company with a long-term revenue stream and supporting its strategic positioning in the renewable energy transition.
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- Nasdaq Milestone: The Nasdaq 100 index rose by 0.20%, achieving a new all-time high, driven by strong performance in tech stocks, particularly Datadog, which surged over 30% following its blowout earnings report.
- Oil Price Decline: WTI crude oil prices fell by more than 4% today as the market awaits updates on a potential US-Iran peace deal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, impacting global oil prices and supply chains.
- Stable Labor Market: Initial US unemployment claims rose by 10,000 to 200,000, below expectations of 205,000, indicating labor market resilience, while continuing claims unexpectedly fell to a 2.25-year low of 1.766 million.
- Strong Corporate Earnings: So far, 84% of the 411 S&P 500 companies that reported earnings have beaten estimates, with Q1 earnings projected to climb 12% year-over-year, reflecting ongoing improvements in corporate profitability, although growth outside the tech sector is only 3%.
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- Surge in Oil Prices: The war with Iran has caused WTI crude prices to rise by 85% to over $100 per barrel, leading to record depletion of global oil stockpiles and creating market uncertainty.
- Caution from Major Players: Oil giants ExxonMobil and Chevron are maintaining their capital spending plans, with Chevron's budget set at $18 billion to $19 billion, ensuring flexibility in a volatile market environment.
- Proactive Smaller Firms: ConocoPhillips has raised its capital budget from $12 billion to $12.5 billion to increase Permian activity in response to supply disruptions and higher oil prices, aiming to maintain operational efficiency.
- Increased Drilling Activities: Diamondback Energy plans to add 2 to 3 drilling rigs to boost production, raising its capital spending from $3.75 billion to $3.9 billion to meet the urgent market demand for oil.
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- Tech Stocks Rally: The Nasdaq 100 surged 2.08% to reach an all-time high on Wednesday, driven by stellar earnings from chipmakers and AI infrastructure firms, particularly Advanced Micro Devices, which rose over 17% as it raised its full-year sales forecast, reflecting strong investor optimism about ongoing AI investments.
- Crude Oil Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 7% to a two-week low as market expectations for a US-Iran peace agreement increased, easing inflation fears and contributing to stock market gains, with the 10-year Treasury yield dropping to a one-week low of 4.33%.
- Employment Data Impact: The April ADP employment report indicated that US companies added 109,000 jobs, below the expected 120,000, yet the market remains optimistic about the Fed's monetary policy, believing it will help maintain a low interest rate environment.
- International Market Surge: Overseas stock markets closed sharply higher, with the Euro Stoxx 50 rising 2.68% and China's Shanghai Composite gaining 1.17%, indicating a positive global market response to the US economic recovery, further boosting investor confidence.
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- Supply Chain Disruption: The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has led to a 30% drop in global jet fuel exports in April, down to 1.3 million barrels per day, directly impacting air travel in Europe and Asia and potentially causing significant disruptions this summer.
- Price Surge: As of May 1, jet fuel prices in Europe have doubled to $187 per barrel, forcing Lufthansa to cut 20,000 short-haul flights, highlighting the immense pressure fuel costs are placing on the airline industry.
- Alternative Supply Efforts: The EU is actively seeking jet fuel supplies from the U.S., with exports to Europe surging over 400% to 94,000 bpd in April, demonstrating a proactive response from U.S. refiners like Valero and Marathon Petroleum to global demand.
- Future Risks: As the market relies on commercial inventories to mitigate supply disruptions, countries dependent on energy imports may face critical shortages by June or July, with the broader economic impacts becoming increasingly apparent.
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- Trump's Recent Talks: Donald Trump has engaged in discussions regarding Iran over the past 24 hours.
- Focus on Iran: The conversations have been characterized as very positive, indicating a potential shift in diplomatic relations.
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