14.38 GMT US oil company shares jump on Venezuela developmentsShares in US oil companies have jumped at the start of trading, as investors anticipate opportunities in Venezuela following the removal of Nicolás Maduro last weekend. Chevron, the American energy giant, is up 4.4% on Wall Street – reflecting predictions that, as the only major US oil company operating in Venezuela, it is in pole position to profit from the upheaval. Rivals ExxonMobil (+2%) andConocoPhillips (+4.1%) are also among the top risers in New York, as analysts predict that the US intervention in Venezuela as a positive development for its oil companies. But while Donald Trump’s administration is determined to access Venezuela’s energy reserves, there are also warnings that billions of dollars must be spent to rebuild its infrastructure, before its heavy oil can be shipped to US refineries. Morningstar’s director of equity research, Allen Good, explains:

Source: The Guardian January 05, 2026 14:54 UTC