So far this month, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK/B) has announced purchases of 27 million and 12 million shares of long-time EIA recommendation Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY). As a result, the giant investment and insurance firm now owns 18.7 percent of the oil and gas producer—that’s nearly as much as the next two largest holders combined.

Why load up on a still highly leveraged commodity producer just as an inflation-focused Federal Reserve appears to be tipping the US economy into recession? We suspect it’s the same basic reason for all of Mr. Buffett’s investments since he became Berkshire’s Chairman and CEO way back in 1970: He sees truly massive free cash flows in Occidental’s future.

The Nasdaq 100 has lost about -27 percent of its value so far this year. And the almost as technology-stock heavy S&P 500 isn’t far behind at roughly -18 percent. Throw in the collapse of the bond market—led by a near doubling of the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield—and it’s small wonder so many have already proclaimed a bear market is underway.

We won’t argue stocks aren’t due for one, given the last period that really qualified was back in 2007-09. And the worst inflation rate in over 40 years, China’s pandemic lockdowns, the increasingly hawkish Federal Reserve, fallout from Russia’s Ukraine invasion and signs consumer spending is slowing are certainly reasons for worry.

Equally, however, 2022 so far has been among the best of times for energy investors. Led by continuing gains in best in class oil and gas stocks, the S&P Energy Sector Index has returned better than 48 percent. And even sector laggards are revving their engines, with the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Oil Service Sector Index (OSX) higher by nearly 42 percent and the midstream laden Alerian MLP Index returning more than 20 percent.