Although the energy sector has generally struggled this year, Valero Energy (VLO) has been one of the clear outliers. As the largest independent refiner and marketer of petroleum products, Valero appears to have benefited from a more focused operational footprint. Since the start of the year, VLO stock has gained nearly 33% of market value. Combined with the Trump administration’s positive stance on fossil fuels, the business appears to be on solid footing.
Still, equities sentiment is often patchy and VLO stock has recently been caught under a weak spell. In the trailing five sessions, the security slipped more than 2%. In the past month, it’s down about 5%. Nevertheless, sentiment may be improving, as evidenced by shifting winds in the derivatives market.
