The ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil ETF (SCO) is a leveraged inverse exchange-traded fund that seeks daily investment results corresponding to two times the inverse of the Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Subindex. In Friday's session, SCO fell 2.92%, ending at $15.29 compared with a prior close of $15.75, as a renewed surge in crude oil prices weighed on the fund. The move reflected a classic inverse-fund dynamic: with benchmark oil contracts climbing roughly 2%, the product built to profit from falling oil prices moved decisively lower.
The primary driver behind SCO's decline was a broad rally in crude oil, which gained more than 1% to over 2% intraday. WTI futures rose toward the $104-per-barrel mark, while Brent crude climbed above $113, keeping both benchmarks on track for a fourth consecutive monthly advance. The catalyst was a fresh escalation in Middle East tensions, including a reported attack on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz and renewed claims by Yemen's Houthi militants of strikes on Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure, such as the Ras Tanura and Rabigh refineries and an Aramco facility in Abqaiq.
Because SCO is engineered to deliver negative two-times exposure to crude oil, any meaningful rise in the underlying commodity translates into a roughly proportionate decline in the fund's share price. Friday's single-session oil rally therefore directly compressed SCO, underscoring why this product is intended primarily for short-term tactical trading and hedging rather than long-term holding. The leveraged structure also means that daily moves in SCO can diverge significantly from crude's own percentage change over multi-day periods.
The session's price action was consistent with broader energy-market sentiment, as investors priced in a sustained geopolitical risk premium. Supply concerns have persisted even as some Gulf export routes have rerouted, and flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain well below pre-conflict levels. Elevated trading activity in energy-linked ETFs such as USO and BNO reflected a market sharply divided between bullish and bearish crude positions, with leveraged money stacked on both sides of the trade. Technical indicators also came into play, as SCO retreated from levels reached earlier in the week amid the renewed rally in crude.
Looking ahead, SCO remains highly sensitive to developments in the crude oil complex. Traders are focused on the upcoming virtual OPEC+ meeting to review December production policy, as well as the approaching U.S. midterm elections, which could reshape expectations for energy policy and military escalation in the region. Key U.S. economic releases next week, including JOLTS job openings and ADP private-sector employment figures, may also influence sentiment around inflation and Federal Reserve policy. Risks remain elevated in both directions: any de-escalation or diplomatic breakthrough could pressure crude and lift inverse funds like SCO, while further supply disruptions would likely extend the oil rally and weigh further on the fund.
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SCO saw its Momentum Indicator move below the 0 level on September 30, 2026. This is an indication that the stock could be shifting in to a new downward move. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 94 similar instances where the indicator turned negative. In 88 of the 94 cases, the stock moved further down in the following days. The odds of a decline are at 90%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where SCO declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 90%.
The Aroon Indicator for SCO entered a downward trend on October 30, 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.
The RSI Indicator shows that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 16 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 Uptrend is expected.
The Stochastic Oscillator shows that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 21 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.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for SCO just turned positive on October 27, 2026. Looking at past instances where SCO's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 48 of 57 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 84%.
Following a +2.07% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where SCO advanced for three days, in 229 of 258 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 89%.
SCO may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Category Trading