WTI Crude Oil Technical Analysis and Short-Term Forecast
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January WTI crude oil failed to test the 62 percent retracement from $61.84 and the 50-day moving average around $60.0 again. The $60.0 level was challenged and held on Monday. Instead, prices fell and formed a daily bearish engulfing line. Today’s engulfing line is not as meaningful as one that forms during an uptrend. However, it suggests that a shortfall within the descending broadening wedge that formed during the decline from $61.84 has occurred. A shortfall is a failure to test the upper or lower trendline of a pattern and typically indicates the pattern will fail. In this case, the wedge may also fail because prices have already retraced more than 62 percent of the rise from $55.99. There is also a complex intraday head and shoulders pattern with a neckline at $58.3. The target of this pattern is $56.6.
A test of at least $58.3 and likely $57.7 will occur tomorrow. The $57.7 target is in line with the equal to (1.00) target of the wave down from $61.18 and the smaller than (0.618) target of the wave down from $60.85. The $57.7 target has been tested a few times, but has held on a closing basis. Closing below $57.7 will provide more evidence that the wedge will fail to break higher and open the way for $57.1 and then a highly confluent and important target at $56.6.
Nevertheless, trading has been erratic for the past few weeks, thus the formation of the wedge. The 50 percent retracement of the rise from $57.1 held on a closing basis today, so there is still a modest chance for another attempt to overcome $60.0 and challenge the upper trendline of the wedge around $60.4. Closing above $60.4 will call for the $60.8 smaller than target of the wave up from $55.99 to be challenged. Settling above $60.7 will confirm a breakout of the wedge because this wave connects to $63.0 as the equal to target.
