American refiners are minting money. The margin they earn turning crude into fuel has just surged to a record high as hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz flare up once again. The stocks tied to that trade are now leading the S&P 500 in July.
Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:MPC), Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE:VLO) and Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) rank among the best-performing names in the index this month.