Investors scored on Iran war's oil market boom. Staying long the trade will get trickier

A sailor observes the oil tanker HELGA, which is moored at one of Iraq's southern offshore oil terminals near Basra, as it prepares to load crude oil, becoming the second vessel to arrive since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, April 24, 2026. Mohammed Aty | ReutersThe past week's earnings from the energy sector demonstrated just how much the U.S.-Iran war has contributed to the short-term performance of major players in the oil market — and to the portfolio gains of investors who targeted stock opportunities in the sector. The sums are massive, but sitting on those gains for too long could be a mistake, according to investing experts.ExxonMobil and Chevron reported quarterly profits on Friday that surged due to the war's impact on oil prices, with Exxon's profits doubling year-over-year to $14.5 billion and Chevron's net income increasing close to 400%."We're kind of firing on all cylinders, which is good, because the world needs it," CEO Mike Wirth told CNBC's Becky Quick on Friday.From April through June, U.S. crude oil futures averaged over $92, a quarterly increase of 27%.The action in refiners has been even stronger. Valero Energy's earnings were up over 400% for the quart...