Crude Oil grinds back into the top end on Monday, WTI clips into $81.50

WTI rebounded after a near-term dip towards $80.00.
Energy markets are churning as investors look for firmer signs of supply drawdown.
Ongoing geopolitical turmoil keeps supply concerns front and center, bolstering prices.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Crude Oil found a firm bid on Monday, rebounding to the $81.50 region after easing within reach of the $80.00 handle. Energy markets remain choppy as investors hope for a broad-market push higher on the possibility of rising demand in the future while trying to shrug off current supplies, which see an increasing overhang on current demand.

Leadership in Israel shrugged off the latest version of a proposed ceasefire between Israeli forces and Palestinian Hamas, keeping Crude Oil markets underpinned as investors continue to bake in the possibility of the ongoing Gaza conflict spilling over into neighboring countries.

Energy investors will be looking ahead to this week’s US Crude Oil stocks updates from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Administration. Week-on-week counts went in different directions last week, with the API noting a drawdown while the EIA found a slight uptick in supply counts. Crude Oil speculators will be looking for a steeper draw on US Crude Oil supplies as economies head into the summer months, with barrel traders specifically looking for increased fuel demand for cooling and summer travel.

Economic Indicator

API Weekly Crude Oil Stock

API’s Weekly Statistical Bulletin (WSB) has reported total U.S. and regional data relating to refinery operations and the production of the four major petroleum products: motor gasoline, kerosene jet fuel, distillate (by sulfur content), and residual fuel oil. These products represent more than 85% of total petroleum industry.

Economic Indicator

EIA Crude Oil Stocks Change

The EIA Crude Oil stockpiles report is a weekly measure of the change in the number of barrels in stock of crude oil and its derivates, and it's released by the Energy Information Administration. This report tends to generate large price volatility, as oil prices impact on worldwide economies, affecting the most, commodity related currencies such as the Canadian dollar. Despite it has a limited impact among currencies, this report tends to affect the price of oil itself, and, therefore, had a more notorious impact on WTI crude futures.

WTI technical outlook

Bullish intraday momentum has left US Crude Oil stranded in a growing supply zone above the $81.00 handle, with prices growing sluggish at $81.50 and could be poised for an exhaustion pullback to familiar levels. Daily candles are pinned into near-term bull country above the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $78.38, but a rapid rise from the last swing low into $72.45 could leave bullish momentum without a firm technical leg to stand on, and odds are leaning into a return to long-term median prices.

WTI hourly chart

WTI daily chart

WTI Oil FAQs

What is WTI Oil?

WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.

What factors drive the price of WTI Oil?

Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.

How does inventory data impact the price of WTI Oil

The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.

How does OPEC influence the price of WTI Oil?

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 13 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.

WTI US OIL

Overview
Today last price	81.47
Today Daily Change	1.03
Today Daily Change %	1.28
Today daily open	80.44

Trends
Daily SMA20	77.8
Daily SMA50	79.23
Daily SMA100	79.47
Daily SMA200	78.99

Levels
Previous Daily High	81.62
Previous Daily Low	80.21
Previous Weekly High	81.62
Previous Weekly Low	77.56
Previous Monthly High	81.25
Previous Monthly Low	76.04
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%	80.75
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%	81.08
Daily Pivot Point S1	79.89
Daily Pivot Point S2	79.34
Daily Pivot Point S3	78.47
Daily Pivot Point R1	81.3
Daily Pivot Point R2	82.17
Daily Pivot Point R3	82.72

Share: Feed news

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.