Skip navigation
MOST POPULAR RELATED TAGS
  • TOPICS
  • SECTORS
  • COMPANIES

FAST MONEY FEATURES

PollFast Money PollsFAST MONEY POLL
Get in the post game.  Respond to our
"Question of the Day" right now.


52 Week High52 Week High TRADER RADAR
Which stock should be on your screen? Follow the clues to solve this puzzle.



Trade SchoolTRADE SCHOOL
Grab a pencil because school is in session and the Fast Money traders are teaching class.


FAST MONEY EMERGING MONEY
EMERGING MONEY TOP 20
Fast Money's index for the world.




PodcastFM PodcastsFAST MONEY PODCASTS
Download Fast Money onto your MP3 Player.




FM WIDGETFAST MONEY WIDGET
Grab this all-in-one application and get recaps of the show sent right to your desktop or blog.



ShopSHOP FOR FAST MONEY MERCHANDISE
Get your game on with Fast Money gear.




Wanna See Our PhotosFAST MONEY PHOTOS!
Check out our scrapbook.  These "pix" are guaranteed winners.




SignupNewsletterNEWSLETTER
Sign up and receive a recap email every Friday after the show!





FM Mobile AlertFAST MONEY MOBILE ALERTS
Get advanced information about the next Fast Money.



Fast Money HomeFast Money Rapid RecapAbout Fast MoneyFast Money BiosFast Money Web ExtraFast Money Disclaimer
Font size:
May.21
6:30 PM ET
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
At $133 Who Wins?

Big oil testified before Congress Wednesday to defend record profits in the face of skyrocketing oil prices. How should you trade the onslaught of criticism?

Top executives of the five largest oil companies tried to shift anger over high prices to a debate over supplies Wednesday, leading a senator to accuse them of acting like "hapless victims" while racking up record profits.

Patrick Leahy, (D-VT), told the executives there's "a disconnect" between normal supply and demand and the skyrocketing price of oil — surpassing $130 a barrel even as the oil leaders testified — that the industry has yet to explain.

The executives, appearing under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee, said they know high prices are hurting people, but they said the cause is not company profits but global supply and demand. And they sought to use their appearance before Congress to argue against new taxes on their industry

Senate Democrats recently announced an energy package that would tax "windfall" profits of the five companies. That might have public appeal, John Lowe, executive vice president of ConocoPhillips [COP  Loading...      ()   ], told the senators, but oil companies should not be viewed as "a scapegoat" for high prices.

*********************

Crude [US@CL.1  Loading...      ()   ] at these prices is a disaster for big oil, says Jeff Macke. It puts them under the microscope.

I think it’s embarrassing for these companies to go before Congress when they’re making such enormous profits, adds Karen Finerman. I expect them to increase Capex spending dramatically to get some of those profits off the balance sheet. Look for them to commit $15 billion or more to exploration, she says. If you need a trade look at the Oil Services HLDRS [OIH  Loading...      ()   ] with United States Oil Fund [USO  Loading...      ()   ] puts.

My trade is to get long the oil services stocks, counsels Guy Adami. Valuations look good to me. Or look at Fluor [FLR  Loading...      ()   ] and Jacobs Engineering [JEC  Loading...      ()   ]. I think you can own those stocks, even if crude drops.

I’d rather be in steel or coal, counters Pete Najarian.




















______________________________________________________
Got something to to say? Send us an e-mail at and your comment might be posted on the Rapid Recap. If you'd prefer to make a comment but not have it published on our website send your e-mail to .

Trader disclosure: On May 21, 2008, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC’s Fast Money were owned by the Fast Money traders; Adami Owns (INTC), (BTU), (AGU), (C), (GS), (MSFT), (NUE); Najarian Owns (AAPL), (ANR), (HPQ), (XLF); Najarian Owns (FTO) Calls; Macke Owns (MSFT), (WMT), (DIS); Finerman Owns (GS); Finerman's Firm Owns (MSFT), (TSO), (VCLK), (VLO); Finerman's Firm Owns SPX Index Puts; Finerman's Firm Owns (C) And (C) Leaps; Finerman's Firm Owns (YHOO) 1X2 Call Spreads; Finerman's Firm Is Short (IYR), (IJR), (MDY), (IWM), (SPY)

© 2008 CNBC.com

Permalink: /id/24758905

HOME  |  NEWS  |  MARKETS  |  EARNINGS  |  INVESTING  |  VIDEO  |  CNBC TV  |  CNBC PLUS  |  CNBC HD+
About CNBC   |   Site Map   |   Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Service   |   Advertise   |   Help   |   Feedback   |   Video Reprints
  Data is a real-time snapshot   *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes

Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis