Ben Emons and Tina Fordham on Venezuela shock, oil risks, and market fallout

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 06, 2026 at 12:50  |  6:13  |  CNBC
Speakers
Ben Emons — Chief Investment Officer and Founder, FedWatch Advisors
Tina Fordham — Founder/Geopolitical Strategist at Fordham Global Foresight

Summary

CNBC interviews Ben Emons and Tina Fordham about Venezuela's upheaval and its market implications. They discuss potential opportunities in Venezuelan debt, US energy majors, and oil services/energy investment, while warning that the situation is not a quick turnaround. The conversation also highlights geopolitical spillover risks, especially for China, and gold as a hedge.

  • Venezuela shock treated as a mini crisis with potential long-term energy opportunity.
  • Ben Emons highlights oil-services and energy beneficiaries from future Venezuelan oil investment.
  • Tina Fordham sees US energy majors possibly returning to Venezuela, but not quickly or easily.
  • Venezuelan debt has drawn investor interest and has been a good play.
  • Iran and Venezuela instability could signal a geopolitical tipping point.
  • Ben Emons warns China faces bank exposure and loss of discounted Venezuelan oil.
  • Gold is cited as a hedge against geopolitical overhang.
Ideas
Ben Emons Chief Investment Officer and Founder, FedWatch Advisors 0:39
Venezuela oil reopening lifts energy, services.
Ben Emons says the Venezuela shock could become a real opportunity if there is a commitment to get Venezuelan oil out of the ground over the next two years. He notes markets are already anticipating this through substantial rallies in industrials and oil services, and he calls the development meaningful for the energy industry, though he frames it as wait-and-see near term.
OIH XLI XLE MED
Tina Fordham Founder/Geopolitical Strategist at Fordham Global Foresight 1:52
US majors may return to Venezuela.
Tina Fordham says Trump's stance could get US energy majors back into Venezuela, but she cautions that it will not be easy and is not going to be a quick turnaround, leaving it as a developing setup to watch.
XLE MED
Tina Fordham Founder/Geopolitical Strategist at Fordham Global Foresight 1:59
Venezuelan debt is a good play.
Tina Fordham says there is significant investor interest in Venezuelan debt and that it has turned out to be a good play, tied to the rare opening of a large emerging-market country, although she warns the process will not be a quick turnaround.
Venezuelan debt MED
Ben Emons Chief Investment Officer and Founder, FedWatch Advisors 5:04
Venezuela crisis raises China financial risks.
Ben Emons warns that the Venezuela situation creates financial risk for China: Chinese banks are exposed to Venezuelan debt, and China loses access to deeply discounted Venezuelan oil that has represented several percentage points of its oil imports. That forces China to buy elsewhere and weighs on its economy.
FXI KBA MED
Ben Emons Chief Investment Officer and Founder, FedWatch Advisors 5:53
Gold hedges geopolitical uncertainty and risk.
Ben Emons points to the notable move in gold and says its significance reflects investors trying to hedge the overhanging geopolitical insurance being put back into markets after the Venezuela shock and related tensions.
GLD MED
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This CNBC video, published January 06, 2026, features Ben Emons, Tina Fordham discussing OIH, XLI, XLE, Venezuelan debt, FXI, KBA, GLD. 5 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Ben Emons, Tina Fordham  · Tickers: OIH, XLI, XLE, Venezuelan debt, FXI, KBA, GLD