Following the sanction relief news, Valero’s chart shows the formation of a golden cross—its 50-day moving average crossing above the 200-day moving average—typically a bullish signal that has preceded back-to-back 12% rallies for the company since 2018. Positive momentum on the 12-day MACD histogram has also accelerated, with the MACD line diverging further from its signal line over the past five trading sessions. Technical strategists view these indicators as reinforcing a bias toward higher share levels, particularly if refinery crack spreads remain elevated through spring maintenance season. Renowned investor Michael Burry, who holds a position in Valero Energy since 2020, highlighted the company as a prime beneficiary of renewed Venezuelan oil flows and continued strong refining margins. With Valero shares up over 200% in the past five years, Burry’s public comments have drawn fresh investor interest, underscoring the company’s strategic advantage in processing heavy sour crude. Portfolio managers tracking Scion Asset Management’s disclosures have added to the stock, pushing average daily trading volume up by 18% in the week following his endorsement. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Valero will maintain gasoline imports into Northern California even after the scheduled April closure of its Benicia refinery. Rather than withdrawing from the market, the company will redirect shipments from its St. Charles and Corpus Christi facilities, ensuring uninterrupted supply for approximately 4.5 million consumer vehicle fill-ups per day. This commitment mitigates regional supply risk and supports Valero’s refinery throughput target of 1.4 million barrels per day across its West Coast and Gulf operations. Valero Energy shares climbed 3.39% after reports that the U.S. government will indefinitely exempt Venezuelan crude from existing sanctions, reopening a supply corridor that had been blocked since 2019. Initial shipments are expected to total between 30 million and 50 million barrels of heavy sour crude over the coming months, directly benefiting Valero’s Gulf Coast refineries, which are optimized for processing such grades. Analysts estimate that these additional volumes could boost Valero’s utilization rates by up to 5% in the second quarter and contribute roughly $0.10 to its per-share earnings in fiscal Q2.