US Stock Market Move | Oil and gas stocks mostly rise, Battalion Oil (BATL.US) jumps more than 18%

On Friday, most oil and gas stocks rose, with Battalion Oil (BATL.US) up over 18%, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY.US) up nearly 3%, EQT Corporation (EQT.US) up over 2%, Apache Corporation (APA.US) up over 1%, and ConocoPhillips (COP.US) up nearly 1%. In terms of news, Brent crude oil futures prices surged 2.6% to $72.70. Tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate. According to the latest reports, on February 26th local time, satellite images show that 11 US F-22 "Raptor" stealth fighter jets have been deployed to the Ovda Air Force Base in southern Israel. In addition, the US Navy's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Ford, has left the base in Crete, Greece, and is heading towards Israel. Reports indicate that although the US and Iran will continue negotiations next week, the risk of war between the two countries is "approaching" as the US gathers a large number of warplanes and warships in the Middle East.