Investors Buy High Volume of Put Options on SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEARCA:XOP)

SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEARCA:XOP) saw unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Stock investors bought 25,920 put options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 41% compared to the typical daily volume of 18,422 put options.

Institutional Trading of SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. MAI Capital Management grew its stake in SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 7.5% in the second quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 1,339 shares of the company’s stock worth $168,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. GRIMES & Co WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC boosted its position in shares of SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 3.1% during the fourth quarter. GRIMES & Co WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC now owns 3,093 shares of the company’s stock worth $391,000 after buying an additional 93 shares during the period. Winthrop Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 40.7% in the third quarter. Winthrop Capital Management LLC now owns 332 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,699 shares of the company’s stock valued at $753,000 after buying an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its stake in shares of SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 0.8% during the third quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 12,668 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,675,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares during the period.

SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Surging oil prices and supply‑risk premium are supporting producers — oil jumped after doubts about a coalition to protect the Strait of Hormuz and worries about the Iran conflict, which lifts exploration & production names in XOP. Oil gains over 2% as market weighs Iran war supply risks
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its U.S. energy outlook as a potential supply shock reshapes forecasts and raises long‑run crude price assumptions — a catalyst for higher valuations for XOP constituents. Oil shock lifts BofA outlook on US energy
• Positive Sentiment: Technical and fundamental commentary expects WTI/Brent to remain elevated (WTI near $100), keeping investor interest in E&P stocks and ETF exposure. Natural Gas and Oil Forecast: Middle East Mayhem Eyes $100 WTI Break; WTI to Hit $103 or $92 Next?
• Neutral Sentiment: Fed decision day — markets expect a hold but will parse Fed commentary; rate guidance can sway risk appetite for cyclicals like energy, so investors are watching but the immediate driver remains oil. Fed meeting updates: FOMC set to hold rates steady as oil prices soar
• Neutral Sentiment: Equity futures and intraday market tone are being tugged between higher oil (positive for XOP) and broader rate/sentiment considerations — watch post‑Fed price action. Dow Jones futures dip as oil prices stiffen, Fed decision and dot plot awaited
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual put buying in XOP — investors purchased ~25,920 put contracts (≈41% above average daily put volume), signaling increased hedging or bearish bets that could cap upside or pressure the ETF if the outlook reverses.
• Negative Sentiment: Some headlines point to easing supply risks — an Iraq export deal and returning Iraqi shipments have trimmed premiums at times, which can prompt profit‑taking in energy names. Oil Prices Drop After Critical Iraq Export Deal. It’s Seismic as Iran Holds Hormuz Hostage.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and technical notes warn of volatility and short‑term pullbacks despite the rally — elevated oil has attracted both dip buyers and increased short interest, which raises the risk of rapid reversals. Crude Oil Price Forecast: Risk of Pullback Heightened

SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF Stock Performance

Shares of XOP stock traded up $2.08 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $172.16. The company had a trading volume of 2,672,538 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,090,946. The company has a market capitalization of $2.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.28 and a beta of 0.95. SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF has a twelve month low of $99.01 and a twelve month high of $172.72. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $145.64 and its 200 day simple moving average is $135.54.

SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF Company Profile

SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the total return performance of the S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Select Industry Index. The S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Select Industry Index represents the oil and gas exploration and production sub-industry portion of the S&P Total Markets Index. The S&P TMI tracks all the United States common stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (NASDAQ) National Market and NASDAQ Small Cap exchanges.