Energy closed down for the third session in a row. It's not a crash — perf is only off 2.1% over five days — but breadth inside the sector is deteriorating in a way that's worth flagging.
The breadth shift
At the start of the week, 62% of our energy universe was green on a five-day basis. Today that number is 38%. The leaders that carried the sector in March — the integrated majors — are now the ones giving back.
Tickers most exposed
- XOM — $113.48, down 1.06% today, now flat YTD. The stock's 50-day moving average is the next major level.
- OXY — $57.22, down 3.18% today. This one is the canary; it has broken down first in every recent rotation.
- CVX — holding up better, but volume is fading on every up day this week.
Where the money is going
Utilities and defensives caught a bid this week while energy leaked. Whether this is a pure rotation or a flight-to-safety tell depends on what rates do tomorrow. Either way, the energy trade has lost its marginal buyer.