Go to the list of all blogs
Niko Sharks's Avatar
published in Blogs
Jan 01, 2019
2018 the Worst Year for Oil Since 2015

2018 the Worst Year for Oil Since 2015

At the start of 2018, Wall Street had predicted that oil prices would surpass the $100 mark in 2018 – for the first time in four years. But the opposite happened -- oil prices experienced the worst annual loss since 2015.  

U.S. Brent crude ended the year after tumbling by ~25%, while international benchmark Brent crude ended the year after falling by ~20% in 2018. U.S. crude settled on Monday at $45.41 a barrel and international benchmark Brent crude stood at around $54 a barrel. The declines mark the first annual loss and the biggest yearly drop since 2015, when both contracts fell more than 30%. 

So, what went wrong for oil?

First, following the Trump administration’s restored sanctions on Iran, fear of a supply shortage resulted into OPEC members and its allies led by Russia abandoning their 2016 agreement to restrict supply, adding about 1 million barrels per day between June and November.

Second, forecasts of a weaker than expected demand growth for oil resulted into broad stock market sell-off as investors dumped riskier assets. Sell-offs in some of the high-flying technology names, the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute and rising interest rates acted as a catalyst and oil plunged about $11 a barrel from its October 3 high.

Third, snapping back of the sanctions just a day after being imposed made things worse. It meant OPEC members and its allies had already pumped in more oil into the system while demand growth was moderating and fewer Iranian barrels than expected were lost. Meanwhile, America as the world's biggest oil producer in the second half of 2018, acted as a supply catalyst and further dampened the chances of recovery.

Related Ticker: IYE

IYE's RSI Oscillator stoops into oversold zone

The RSI Indicator for IYE moved into overbought territory on June 18, 2026. Be on the watch for a price drop or consolidation in the future -- when this happens, think about selling the stock or exploring put options.

Price Prediction Chart

Technical Analysis (Indicators)

Bullish Trend Analysis

The Stochastic Oscillator shows that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 3 days. The price of this ticker is presumed to bounce back soon, since the longer the ticker stays in the oversold zone, the more promptly an upward trend is expected.

Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where IYE advanced for three days, in of 369 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .

IYE may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.

Bearish Trend Analysis

The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on June 15, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on IYE as a result. In of 93 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for IYE turned negative on May 27, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 48 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In of the 48 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at .

IYE moved below its 50-day moving average on June 11, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.

The 10-day moving average for IYE crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on June 16, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In of 21 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .

Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where IYE declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .

The Aroon Indicator for IYE entered a downward trend on June 18, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.

Notable companies

The most notable companies in this group are Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM), Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), SLB Limited (NYSE:SLB), MARATHON PETROLEUM Corp (NYSE:MPC), Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI), Valero Energy Corp (NYSE:VLO), EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG), Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX), Targa Resources Corp (NYSE:TRGP).

Industry description

The investment seeks to track the investment results of the Russell 1000 Energy RIC 22.5/45 Capped Index composed of U.S. equities in the energy sector. The fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its underlying index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its underlying index. The underlying index measures the performance of the energy sector of the U.S. equity market. The fund is non-diversified.

Market Cap

The average market capitalization across the iShares US Energy ETF ETF is 56.05B. The market cap for tickers in the group ranges from 123.71M to 571.22B. XOM holds the highest valuation in this group at 571.22B. The lowest valued company is NFE at 123.71M.

High and low price notable news

The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the iShares US Energy ETF ETF was 13%. For the same ETF, the average monthly price growth was 14%, and the average quarterly price growth was 60%. WMB experienced the highest price growth at 3%, while NFE experienced the biggest fall at -18%.

Volume

The average weekly volume growth across all stocks in the iShares US Energy ETF ETF was 129%. For the same stocks of the ETF, the average monthly volume growth was 116% and the average quarterly volume growth was 3%

Fundamental Analysis Ratings

The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows

Valuation Rating: 49
P/E Growth Rating: 41
Price Growth Rating: 53
SMR Rating: 61
Profit Risk Rating: 45
Seasonality Score: -43 (-100 ... +100)
View a ticker or compare two or three
IYE
Daily Signal:
Gain/Loss:
Interact to see
Advertisement
A.I.Advisor
published price charts
Last 5 trading days
A.I. Advisor
published General Information

General Information

Category Energy

Profile
Details
Category
Equity Energy
Address
iShares Trust400 Howard StreetSan Francisco
Phone
1-800-474-2737
Web
www.ishares.com
Interact to see
Advertisement
In the ever-shifting healthcare sector, CVS Health (CVS) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) represent two powerhouse approaches: CVS as a retail pharmacy giant with integrated insurance and services, and UNH as a leading health insurer with diversified operations.
In the competitive retail landscape, American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) is showing signs of robust upward potential as it navigates a strong 2025 performance.
In the dynamic world of satellite communications and broadband services, EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) has captured investor attention with a notable technical breakthrough. On December 8, 2025, the stock's 10-day moving average crossed above its 50-day moving average, signaling the onset of a bullish upward trend.
In an era where global investors demand instant access to markets, major players in the financial world are racing to extend trading hours beyond the traditional 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET window. This push is driven by surging foreign holdings of U.S. equities, which hit $17 trillion last year, and the growing appetite for nonstop trading in a 24/7 digital economy.
In the resilient gold mining sector, IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE: IAG) has demonstrated an extraordinary uptrend throughout 2025, capitalizing on rising gold prices and operational milestones.
Within the rapidly evolving automotive retail landscape, Carvana Co. (NYSE: CVNA) has emerged as one of 2025’s standout performers. Once viewed as a highly volatile name, the company has transformed into a market leader as demand for online vehicle purchasing accelerates
Microsoft (MSFT) emerges as the AI-favored stock in 2025, outperforming Apple (AAPL) with a 16% year-to-date gain, compared to Apple’s 10% rise. The advantage stems from Microsoft’s deeper enterprise AI integration, accelerating cloud growth, and scalable software ecosystem.
ExxonMobil (XOM) emerges as the AI-preferred energy stock in 2025, posting a 10% year-to-date gain compared with Chevron’s (CVX) 2% increase. Stronger upstream production, exposure to high-growth assets, and expanding low-carbon initiatives support XOM’s momentum. Tickeron’s AI models signal continued upside for XOM, while CVX shows signs of overbought conditions and elevated downside risk.
Tesla (TSLA) emerges as the AI-preferred EV stock in 2025, posting a 19% year-to-date gain, while BYD (BYDDY) has declined 82%, reflecting diverging momentum across the global EV market. Tickeron’s AI trading bots indicate strong bullish conditions for TSLA, supported by positive momentum signals, whereas BYDDY shows sustained bearish trends.
Broadcom (AVGO) emerges as the AI-preferred semiconductor stock in 2025, posting a 48% year-to-date gain, compared with 37% for NVIDIA (NVDA), supported by stronger diversification across networking, infrastructure, and custom AI chips.
- Bio-Techne carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus from 13 analysts, with an average price target of $70.58, implying about 15% upside. - Recent positive revisions include TD Cowen (Oct. 14, target raised from $65 to $70, Strong Buy), Evercore ISI (Oct. 7, $60 to $72, Buy), and RBC -
Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) has traded unevenly in recent weeks as investors digest shifting sector dynamics and company-specific guidance. The stock has moved into a consolidation phase following broader semiconductor rotations, with optimism in diversified end markets offset by ongoing pressure in mobile.
Seagate Technology (STX) has emerged as one of the standout performers of 2025, powered by explosive demand for data storage tied to artificial intelligence workloads. As hyperscalers expand cloud and AI infrastructure, Seagate’s high-capacity hard drives have become essential, pushing the stock sharply higher and keeping investor attention firmly locked on upcoming earnings.
Home Depot and Lowe’s are the two dominant players in the home improvement retail space, frequently compared due to their similar product offerings and overlapping customer bases of DIY homeowners and professional contractors. Their performance is closely watched as a barometer for consumer discretionary spending, housing market trends, and interest rate impacts.
Over the past month, Wynn’s share price has been shaped by a combination of analyst actions, expansion-related news, and shifting industry dynamics. The stock reached a 52-week high in early December, supported by positive premarket activity and renewed optimism across consumer-facing sectors.
Visa (V) strengthened its leadership in global payments, advancing AI-driven tools, stablecoin advisory services, and enhanced security offerings in 2025.
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are leading global investment banks, frequently compared due to their overlapping operations in capital markets, wealth management, and advisory services. Evaluating these stocks side by side helps investors and traders understand differences in risk, growth potential, and revenue drivers amid ongoing macroeconomic shifts, tariff impacts, and a resurgence in deal-making activity.
Equinox Gold (EQX) and Coeur Mining (CDE) are notable players in the precious metals mining sector, focusing on gold and silver production in a market influenced by economic uncertainty, inflation hedges, and global demand. This comparison provides insight for investors tracking commodity trends or seeking safe-haven assets.
Strategic Acquisitions and Expansion: USAR acquired UK-based Less Common Metals, integrating rare earth metal and magnet production to create a comprehensive magnet-to-mine supply chain. Production Acceleration: Construction at the Round Top facility in Texas has been advanced, with commercial production now expected by late 2028—two years ahead of the original schedule.