Gold and Oil Stocks Advanced After U.S. Conducted Precision Strikes In Venezuela

Barry Adams
05 Jan, 2026
New York City

Stocks on Wall Street advanced amid rising geopolitical tensions, and crude oil inched lower in early trading on Monday. 

The S&P 500 index increased 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.7% ahead of the start of the earnings season next week. 

Gold jumped 1.6% to $405.01 an ounce after the U.S. military conducted a surprise operation in Venezuela.

Crude oil prices rebounded from the early decline in trading after the U.S. military conducted a surprise precision attack and captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro.

The surprise attack over the weekend sent shock waves through the commodities trading in Asia, but prices rebounded after initial worries of global supply disruption waned.

Gold soared as much as 1.7% to $4,404.24 an ounce, and the crude oil price for the immediate month's delivery eased 0.4% to $56.95 a barrel. 

In 2025, market indexes in the U.S. registered double-digit gains for the second consecutive year and soared in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, and Frankfurt amid receding fears of U.S. tariffs. 

Global markets advanced, defying geopolitical tension, the U.S. tariff war, and macroeconomic uncertainty. Benchmark indexes in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Hong Kong delivered solid returns, driven by a rally in AI-linked stocks and the defense and banking sectors.

Gold soared 65%, and silver surged 148% as the U.S. dollar and Treasury bonds lost their luster.

 

U.S. Movers

Oil companies advanced following the U.S. military operation in Venezuela. 

Investors are worried that Venezuela may be destabilized for several years, impacting its crude oil production, which accounts for about one million barrels a day, or about 1% of global output.

Chevron soared 6.4% to $165.85, Exxon Mobil advanced 2.4% to $125.89, and ConocoPhillips increased 5.9% to $102.44. 

Haliburton Company advanced 7.5% to $31.87, and Baker Hughes increased 5.6% to $49.80.