22 May Is there an opportunity to invest in gas because of Iran?

Q. With all the stuff with Iran, is there an investment opportunity in gas or related stocks? Or a specialty mutual funds? Or is it just too risky?
— Investor, maybe

A. The headlines about Iran keep on coming.

And changing. Multiple times a day, sometimes.

Geopolitical issues can impact the stock market in the short term by increasing market volatility, said Darren Zagarola, a fee-only certified financial planner and certified public accountant with EKS Associates in Princeton.

“There may be opportunities to benefit from these situations, such as investing in oil and gas producers or pipeline companies,” he said. “While this type of speculation can potentially be profitable in the short term if market timing is correct, it is not an approach we generally recommend for our clients.”

Historically, these rallies tend to be short-lived, and oil prices are influenced by many factors beyond current geopolitical events, including OPEC production decisions, U.S. energy policy, global demand and broader economic conditions, Zagarola said.

“Our recommendation is to maintain a diversified portfolio aligned with your risk tolerance, investment objectives, and time horizon,” he said. “If you are interested in adding exposure to the energy sector, we would generally suggest doing so through a diversified sector fund or ETF rather than making concentrated bets on individual companies.”

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This story was originally published in May 2026. 

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