BMO cut its price target on Oracle (ORCL.N) to $195 from $220.

AAA data show U.S. diesel averaged $6.0556/gal, the first time above $6, raising energy-driven inf risk ahead of the diesel demand season; California prices are near $8/gal. Diesel is a primary fuel for power generation, home heating, agriculture and tractor‑trailers, so record retail diesel prices are likely to feed through into food, transport and construction costs. With midterm elections just over 50 days away, surging costs pose a political problem for Republicans aligned with Trump.

Oracle reports after the US close Thursday. Option-implied volatility prices a move of roughly 11%, above the last three-quarter post-earnings average of 9.5%. Shares are down about 17% YTD and more than 50% off the 52-week high, though the stock rallied ~15% last week and has recovered since a July 52-week low. Call open interest materially exceeds puts ahead of the print, and call premiums are richer than puts at comparable strikes — an atypical skew suggesting investors are paying for upside exposure. Oracle surged 35% on an earnings-day move in September 2025. Strong results from Microsoft and Amazon have lifted expectations for AI investment returns and likely underpin optimism about Oracle’s AI infrastructure spending. Key question remains whether Oracle can sustain heavy AI infrastructure investment without materially worsening its financial position.