Markets enter May with a full plate. A Strait of Hormuz blockade has sent Brent crude to $126. That is the single biggest macro shock of the week. Energy stocks are the clear beneficiaries.
DVN and HAL lead options sentiment as call volume surges alongside oil. Both stocks are up big year-to-date — Devon +39%, Halliburton +48%. This morning, XOM and CVX report earnings. The oil giants face a straightforward question: how much of the crude spike flows to the bottom line.
Over 170 S&P 500 companies report this week. Beyond energy, CL, EL, and MRNA also report today. Consumer staples names face questions on trade-cost pressure. and round out Friday's slate.
INTC is the week's most two-sided story. The stock is up 157% year-to-date. Tigress Financial just raised its target to $118. Yet bearish options bets remain heavy. Analysts and short sellers are pulling in opposite directions.
FIG saw short interest jump 6.3 percentage points to 25.5% of free float. Bears are not buying Figma's post-IPO valuation. Separately, WOLF hit 50.6% short interest — one of the most pressed names in the market.
Executives are voting with their wallets. The CEO of TORO bought $13.7M of stock this week. The chairman of HOMB added $2.7M. Tim Cook purchased NKE shares at $42.43. The pattern is consistent: insiders buying while the market stays cautious.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
