- WTI has returned to territory below $77.00 five times in eight days.
- Crude Oil markets are getting pushed back into the low side of rough congestion.
- Analysts expect OPEC to extend Q1 cuts through Q2.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dipped back below $77.00 on Friday as energies pull back from recent bullish momentum which failed to crack into meaning high territory. WTI is set to wrap up the trading week near $76.50, a region that US Crude Oil has been struggling to break from since rising into the zone on February 9.
According to a survey by Bloomberg, analysts that watch the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) expect the Crude Oil cartel to extend steep production cuts from the first quarter through Q2 2024. OPEC introduced drastic Crude Oil production caps across its member states late 2023, but attempts to constrain global Crude Oil supply in order to support barrel prices continues to run into significant headwinds as energy markets have their hands full watching global non-OPEC production and keeping an eye out for ongoing geopolitical headlines.
Crude Oil markets remain concerned about possible supply shocks as the Israel-Palestinian Hamas conflict in Gaza rolls on, and Yemini Houthis backed by Iran continue to target civilian cargo ships in the Red Sea despite the presence of a coalition naval fleet between the US and the UK.
As it currently stands, OPEC has not announced their Q2 plans, nor have they set a date to begin discussing the group’s production levels heading into the tail end of the first quarter.
WTI technical outlook
WTI fell back below the 200-hour Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $77.47 for the third time in a week as bullish momentum continues to evaporate. US Crude Oil is building out a rough consolidation pattern in the near-term, with a technical resistance zone marked in just below $79.00.
Daily candlesticks are seeing stiff technical resistance from the 200-day SMA at $77.60, and a bullish recovery from the last major swing low into $67.97 in December has struggled to gain meaningful chart territory.
WTI hourly chart
WTI daily chart
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds higher ground above 1.0800 ahead of US payrolls
EUR/USD is holding higher ground above 1.0800 in the European session on Friday. The pair extends its week-long winning streak amid a broad US Dollar weakness and an upbeat market mood. The further upside hinges on the US Nonfarm Payrolls data release.
GBP/USD rises toward 1.2800 after a landslide Labour victory
GBP/USD extends gains toward 1.2800 in the European session on Friday. The Pound Sterling is underpinned by the landslide Labour Party victory in the UK general election while the US Dollar awaits the Nonfarm Payrolls data for fresh directives.
Gold continues positive run as investors foresee lower interest rates
Gold rises on Friday, continuing its run of positive days as investors become increasingly optimistic the Fed will lower interest rates sooner than previously thought, and the US Dollar softens, adding a lift to Gold which is predominantly bought and sold in Dollars.
Bitcoin falls below $56,000 level
BTC breached the weekly support level of $58,375 on Thursday; as of Friday, it is trading 2.8% lower at $55,314. ETH and XRP have dropped below crucial support thresholds.
Nonfarm Payrolls forecast to grow by 190K in June as Fed ponders rate-cut timing
With US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s Sintra appearance out of the way, all eyes now remain on top-tier Nonfarm Payrolls data for June, due on Friday at 12:30 GMT.