What Happened?

A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after crude oil prices dropped amid easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude, the international benchmark, dropped by over 10% to below $90 a barrel, with U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude seeing a similar decline. 

The sharp sell-off was triggered by several developments, including a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and optimism surrounding potential U.S.-Iran negotiations. Compounding the price pressure, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil tankers. Easing tensions in the region reduce the 'risk premium' on oil prices, calming market fears about potential supply disruptions and leading to lower prices. 

For US Shale, a retreat toward $90 puts the industry's "capital discipline" to the test. While core acreage in the Permian Basin would remain more profitable at these levels, the drop narrows the margin for error in higher-cost regions. Marginal wells that looked like "easy wins" at higher price points suddenly face "permitting paralysis" as operators reassess their internal rates of return against a more volatile backdrop.

The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks.

Among others, the following stocks were impacted:

• U.S. Shale E&P company Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG) fell 5.3%. Is now the time to buy Diamondback Energy? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• U.S. Shale E&P company Riley Exploration Permian (NYSE: REPX) fell 6.2%. Is now the time to buy Riley Exploration Permian? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.

Zooming In On Riley Exploration Permian (REPX)

Riley Exploration Permian’s shares are quite volatile and have had 17 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 18 days ago when the stock gained 3% on the news that oil prices surged amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. 

The price of Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, rose sharply. This increase came after threats were made against Iranian oil wells and export hubs if a deal concerning the Strait of Hormuz was not reached. The conflict in the region pushed oil prices to historic levels, with Brent crude experiencing its biggest monthly gain on record. Higher crude oil prices translate into increased potential revenue and profitability for these companies, boosting investor confidence in the sector despite the broader geopolitical risks.

Riley Exploration Permian is up 25.2% since the beginning of the year, but at $33.30 per share, it is still trading 17.3% below its 52-week high of $40.26 from April 2026. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Riley Exploration Permian’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,413.

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