The global oil markets have been in turmoil since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran amidst negotiations on February 28, as the Islamic Republic responded with a series of attacks against production and logistical facilities in the Persian Gulf.
While the escalation has had the most outsized disruptive impact on the prices of natural gas and related industries, black gold has also been creeping up, with some forecasting that a sustained campaign could push crude above $100 per barrel.
The disruption has, however, also led to some significant stock market gains. While the rally for the military-industrial complex was, arguably, to be expected, the Energy Sector – already a major winner in 2026 – has also been moving higher.
Under the fluid circumstances, Finbold consulted the advanced artificial intelligence (AI) model ChatGPT about which oil companies might provide the savviest investments as March – and the war – rolls into its second week.
ChatGPT analyzes stock and oil markets
Before unveiling its selection, the large language model (LLM) provided a brief overview of the state of the stock and oil markets.
Perhaps surprisingly, ChatGPT’s analysis had an air of confidence as it highlighted that, for all the media buzz, the supply shock arising from the war favors Western fossil fuel giants.
Likewise, the AI noted the defensive nature of defensive major – a descriptor applicable to multiple well-known names and highlighted ‘fiscal discipline’ prevailing in the sector in 2026.
ChatGPT recommends buying Exxon Mobil stock next week
Following this brief analysis of the industry as a whole, ChatGPT revealed Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) as its first pick.
Indeed, the AI explained that the scale and diversity in the company’s operations serve as a resilient cushion at times of volatility while also allowing the firm to profit at times of uncertainty.
Furthermore, ChatGPT not only described Exxon Mobil as ‘arguably the most geopolitically resilient oil major,’ but also noted its partnerships, operations in the Permian Basin, and, for lack of a better descriptor, its sheer size.
Looking at the stock market, XOM shares are down 3.38% in the last week of trading and are changing hands at $150.28 at press time on March 6.
Lastly, ChatGPT summarized its ‘buy’ recommendation by stating:
“If oil spikes toward $100+, Exxon likely captures the largest absolute profit growth among Western oil majors thanks to scale and upstream leverage.”
ChatGPT recommends buying Chevron stock next week
After explaining its XOM case, ChatGPT turned to one of Warren Buffett’s favored companies: Chevron (NYSE: CVX).
Indeed, the AI opined that this firm is ‘arguably the best-positioned oil major for supply disruption scenarios,’ while citing the geographic variety in its operations – ranging from Central Asia to Central America.
ChatGPT also claimed that CVX stock tends to outperform other majors in times of crisis, and examining the equity markets reveals that Chevron shares are 0.13% down – a smaller loss than XOM – in the last week of trading and are, at press time, at $189.55.
The LLM then described its investment thesis as threefold, citing ‘strong dividend stability,’ ‘high-quality reserves,’ and a ‘large upside if crude prices continue rising.’
Finally, ChatGPT defended picking only blue-chip oil giants by explaining that smaller firms simply lack the resilience for times of crisis due to less severity in their operations. weaker balance sheets, and an overall lack of ‘geopolitical resilience.’
Featured image via Shutterstock
