Traders 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) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Investors bought 34,637 put options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 159% compared to the average daily volume of 13,389 put options.

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

Shares of NYSEARCA XOP opened at $130.28 on Friday. SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF has a 1-year low of $99.01 and a 1-year high of $146.56. The business’s 50 day moving average is $130.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $129.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.28 and a beta of 0.95.

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

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Abound Wealth Management purchased a new position in SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Winthrop Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 84.4% in the 2nd quarter. Winthrop Capital Management LLC now owns 236 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB bought a new position in SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc raised its position in SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF by 360.3% in the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 290 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 227 shares during the period.

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

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

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. military actions targeting sanctioned “shadow fleet” tankers add a supply‑disruption risk premium that can support oil/E&P shares. U.S. Forces Seize Sixth Oil Tanker
• Positive Sentiment: OPEC’s outlook still shows steady oil‑demand growth into 2027, a structural demand backdrop that can underpin prices and benefit E&P names over time. In first look at 2027, OPEC forecasts ongoing oil demand growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Russian oil output nudged lower in 2025 — modestly supportive for prices but not large enough alone to offset recent demand/supply moves. Russian oil output edges down 0.7% in 2025, OPEC data shows
• Neutral Sentiment: India’s refiners shifted away from Russian barrels in December, lifting OPEC’s share — a market‑share reshuffle that changes flows but is ambiguous for U.S. E&P near term. OPEC regains share in India as Russian oil imports slump
• Negative Sentiment: Oil prices fell after U.S. comments and reports signaled the chance of a U.S. strike on Iran had receded — removing a major recent upside catalyst for energy stocks. Oil flat as chances of US strike on Iran recedes
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. crude inventories rose (weekly build), increasing near‑term supply pressure and weighing on oil prices. U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles Post Weekly Increase
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. moves to import and sell Venezuelan crude (first $500M sale; expanded licenses) and traders offering Venezuelan cargoes to Gulf Coast refiners increase short‑term supply into U.S. markets — a clear headwind for oil/E&P shares. US completes first Venezuelan oil sales valued at $500 million US energy chief says US getting 30% higher price for Venezuelan oil
• Negative Sentiment: Large, unusually heavy put‑option activity in XOP (34,637 puts, ~159% above typical volume on 1/14) signals increased bearish positioning from traders and may amplify downside in the ETF independent of fundamentals.

About SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF

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.