ExxonMobil Corp. signage on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Stock futures were near flat Tuesday, with the major averages set to take a breather after a rally in the previous session following the U.S.’ capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and President Donald Trump’s call for American energy giants to invest in the oil-rich nation.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.04%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.2%. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 34 points, or 0.1%.
The 30-stock Dow closed at a record on Monday after the U.S. captured and ousted Maduro over the weekend, while Trump encouraged big investments from U.S. oil companies. Chevron and Exxon Mobil posted solid gains, and the S&P 500 energy sector posted its biggest one-day jump since July 8.
“Historically, headline-capturing geopolitical events can produce short-term volatility and falling equity prices,” Tom O’Shea, director of research and investment strategy at Innovator ETFs, said. “However, in this instance, the S&P 500 rose on the first trading day following the operation, with energy stocks leading the gains on anticipation that U.S. companies may benefit from potential infrastructure rebuilding in Venezuela. Defense stocks, precious metals, and Bitcoin also rallied, suggesting a mixed investor response.”
Energy stocks climbed again on Tuesday, with Chevron and Exxon Mobil gaining 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively. Halliburton advanced 0.2%, and SLB advanced 0.9%.
