Source: Shutterstock United States Oil Fund LP (USO) As well as energy and oil stocks do during the latter part of economic expansions marked by an inverted yield curve, oil itself does even better. The United States Oil Fund LP (NYSEARCA: USO ), which is a proxy for oil prices, may be a better fit for most investors. Upfina qualifies its finding, explaining that these stocks tend to do well in that scenario "because inflation usually increases at the end of the cycle, meaning oil prices are going up along with the other commodities."