Brent: the reduction of stocks in the US did not change the mood of investors
22/06/2017
Current dynamics
According to a weekly report released yesterday by the US Department of Energy, US oil inventories fell by 2.451 million barrels last week (the forecast was expected to reduce inventories by 2.1 million barrels). Immediately after the publication of the Ministry of Energy data, oil prices went up, however, for a short time. Growth was unstable, and in the next three hours the price for Brent crude oil fell by $ 1.7 to $ 44.7 per barrel.
WTI futures on NYMEX traded yesterday with a decline of about 2.4%. Contracts for Brent crude fell by 2.63% to 44.81 dollars per barrel.
This behavior of the price can only be explained by one thing: investors do not believe that OPEC's efforts will help restore the balance in the oil market and strengthen prices. Moreover, the countries of the cartel began to sell oil from their own storage facilities, while still cutting production. The increase in production in Nigeria and Libya, part of OPEC, but exempt from the reduction obligations, weakens the hopes for the restoration of oil prices. The US has been very successful in this situation, which continues to increase oil production, filling the vacant niche in the oil market. Oil production in the US last week increased again, by 20,000 barrels per day, more than 9.3 million barrels per day, the highest since summer 2015.
The number of oil drilling rigs in the US increased again last week, this time by six units to 747 units, which was the 22nd consecutive week of the increase. Excess supply in the oil market remains, and the world's oil reserves remain high. Oil prices since the beginning of this year have fallen by about 28%, completely losing the positions won after the conclusion of the OPEC deal in late 2016.
Today, there is a slight recovery in the price of oil after a non-stop three-day decline. Nevertheless, the oil market is dominated by a strong negative momentum. The oil market seems to be shifting again into a bearish phase.
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Support and resistance levels
On a weekly chart, the Brent oil price broke the lower border of the rising channel near the level of 47.50 and develops a downward trend. On the daily chart, the price came very close to the lower boundary of the descending channel, passing near the mark of 44.65.
Today, the OsMA and Stochastic indicators on the 1-hour and 4-hour charts have turned to long positions. However, this indicates for the time being a short-term upward correction. On daily and weekly charts, indicators remain on the side of sellers.
Negative dynamics is growing at an accelerated pace. The price broke through the important support levels of 51.35 (EMA200 on the daily chart), 50.70 (the Fibonacci retracement level of 61.8% of the correction to the decline from the level of 65.30 from June 2015 to the absolute minimums of 2016 near the 27.00 mark), 46.20 (Fibonacci level 50.0%). There are two remaining milestones left - support levels of 43.50 (November lows), 41.70 (Fibonacci level of 38.2%), the breakdown of which will finally return prices for Brent crude oil in a downtrend. In case of consolidation below level 46.20, the upward trend of the price of Brent oil may be canceled.
Return to consideration of long positions is possible only if the price returns above the short-term local resistance level of 47.25 (EMA200 on the 1-hour chart) and the level of 47.50 (the lower limit of the ascending channel on the weekly chart).
The oil market is dominated by negative sentiment, and against this background, oil prices remain under pressure with a tendency to further decline.
Support levels: 44.65, 43.50, 41.70
Resistance levels: 45.50, 46.20, 47.25, 47.50, 48.35, 50.00, 50.70, 51.35
Trading Scenarios
Sell Stop 44.90. Stop-Loss Section 46.10. Take-Profit 44.65, 43.50, 41.70
Buy Stop 46.10. Stop-Loss 44.90. Take-Profit 47.25, 47.50, 48.35, 50.00, 50.70, 51.35
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