VDE Overview

Trump's Executive Order: Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order allowing Sable Offshore to restart a pipeline that had been shut down for a decade since the 2015 Refugio Beach oil spill.

Sable Offshore's Oil Sales: Roth Capital maintains a 'Buy' rating on Sable Offshore, predicting the company will achieve its first oil sales by April 1, with an expected output of around 50,000 barrels per day.

Chevron's Involvement: Chevron is reportedly planning to purchase some of the initial shipments of crude oil from Sable Offshore, with intentions to run Sable's crude at its El Segundo facility starting in April.

Market Reaction: Sable Offshore's shares surged nearly 7% following reports of a potential buyer, while retail sentiment around the stock has been bearish amid low message volume, despite a 58% increase in shares so far in 2026.

Trump's Remarks on Talks: President Donald Trump described the preliminary U.S.-Iran talks as "very, very good."

Iran's Stance on Peace: Iran, represented by Tehran, expressed a desire for peace and has agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons.

Trump's Stance on Iran: President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's negotiation approach, indicating that they are not willing to compromise significantly.

Concerns Over Enrichment: Trump emphasized that there should be no enrichment of uranium by Iran, reiterating a hardline stance on nuclear negotiations.

Frustration with Current Negotiations: He conveyed that the current state of negotiations with Iran is unsatisfactory and does not meet U.S. expectations.

Overall Sentiment: Trump's comments reflect a broader frustration with Iran's actions and the ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding their nuclear program.

Oil Prices and Tensions: Oil prices gained attention due to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, impacting the energy sector's performance in 2025, which has been the second-worst performing sector this year.

Energy Sector Performance: The energy sector has seen a modest increase of +1.76% YTD, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) slightly outperforming at +2.29% YTD.

Top Performers in Coal and Fuels: Centrus Energy leads the coal and consumable fuels subsector with a remarkable YTD performance of +254%, followed by Uranium Energy (+81.5%) and Peabody (+32.6%).

Energy-Focused ETFs: Various energy-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are highlighted, including XLE, AMLP, VDE, XOP, OIH, and IXC, indicating a range of investment options within the energy sector.

Oil Prices and Tensions: Oil prices gained attention due to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, impacting the energy sector's performance in 2025, which has been the second-worst performing sector this year.

Top Performers in Energy Subsector: Seeking Alpha highlighted the top 10 year-to-date performers in the oil and gas storage and transportation subsector, with Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation leading at an 84% increase.