The broad market rally that kicked off after the Fed’s surprise 50 basis point rate cut has stalled as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East climb. Apparently, two household name stocks haven’t gotten that risk-off memo. Shares of Netflix (NFLX) and ExxonMobil (XOM) are trading at record highs, of course, for very different reasons. Netflix continues to benefit from optimism around new revenue streams, such as its cheaper ad-supported tier and the prolonged trend toward cord-cutting. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil’s stock is being powered by those aforementioned Middle East tensions setting the stage for $100 a barrel oil. Will both of these large-cap stocks keep plowing forward? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi serves up his quick hot analysis on each.
U.S. oil prices moved up above $75 per barrel on Monday, clearing a key technical hurdle and nearing an August high, as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate. Israel is contemplating a response to Iran, with the country's oil facilities a possible target as it considers a response to last week's missile barrage. With oil prices advancing, a range of oil stocks appeared to be actionable Monday.
XOM anticipates a decrease in crude prices to reduce $600 million to $1 billion in upstream profit.