Crude Oil Short-Term Forecast – September 11, 2018

WTI Crude Oil

The near-term outlook for WTI crude oil became positive today, and although October did not settle above $69.8 it rose above that level late this afternoon. There is a lot of resistance near the upper limit of the $69.8 target, right around $70.0 still, so there is an outside chance the move up will stall early tomorrow. However, given today’s surge higher, and because prices have overcome the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $71.4, any pullback will most likely be a corrective buying opportunity for bulls while today’s $68.4 midpoint holds.

The next objective is $70.4 and a close above this would call for $70.9 and eventually the next major objective of $71.5. This is the last target protecting October WTI’s $71.63 swing high. Therefore, settling above $71.5 would open the way for a new high of at least $72.0 this week.

Immediate support is $69.3 and key support for tomorrow is $68.4, which should hold. Settling below $68.4 would suggest today’s move up was based on weak external factors that could not support the move up. In that case, look for prices to challenge $67.9 and possibly the $67.33 intra-day swing low. A move below the latter would invalidate the wave up from $66.86 and shift odds to be solidly back in favor of a continued decline.

Brent Crude Oil

Brent’s move up accelerated again today and the pattern up from $75.64 has unfolded as a five-wave formation that met its Wave V targets at $79.54 this afternoon. The move up is poised to continue and $79.9 and likely $80.5 should be challenged tomorrow.

That said, because the five-wave pattern met its target at $79.54 a corrective pullback might take place first. Such a move is expected to hold support at today’s $78.2 midpoint, which means the pullback will be a buying opportunity. However, a close below $78.2 would suggest the move up has stalled again and that another major test of support will take place over the next few days. Given today’s rise, this is doubtful.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Crude Oil Forecast and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover WTI, Brent, RBOB Gasoline, Diesel, and spreads. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

By Dean Rogers

Last week we stated WTI and Brent would likely settled into trading ranges while sorting out longer-term fundamental factors and the late August price surge. That has been the case, and so far the oscillations have formed a flat descending triangle for WTI and a pennant for Brent.

WTI and Brent patterns

Both patterns are bullish, but have a higher than normal probability to fail in our opinion. Even upon a break higher we do not expect a bullish rally to ensue, but rather a test of the recent swing highs.

Should the patterns fail look for major support at $42.6 for WTI and $46.7 for Brent. In other words, we think the trading range will continue to form between approximately $42.6 and $49.0 for WTI and $46.7 and $52.0 for Brent.

This is a brief analysis and outlook for the next day or so. Our weekly Crude Oil Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough energy price forecast. If you are interested, please sign up for a complimentary four week trial.

Brent crude’s failure to close above the $57.5 completion point of the weekly morning star setup (circled in green) was negative and indicates the geopolitically driven move up that took place last week may be short lived. The Brent crude price rose modestly on Monday, but most short-term technical factors indicate it should test $53.1 again. A close below this would call for $49.2, which is the last target protecting the $48.95 contract low.

Look for resistance at $57.5 and $60.05. A close over the latter would open the way for the $63.66 swing high to be challenged.

Take a trial of Kase’s weekly WTI and Brent Crude Oil Price Forecast.

Brent Crude Prices

Most technical factors now indicate that WTI’s upward correction has failed and that the near term WTI price outlook is negative again. Monday’s decline broke the lower trend line of a bullish ascending wedge. Formations like this break higher around 75 percent of the time, so failures like this do not generally bode well for a continued price rise.

More importantly, WTI prices are about to take out the crucial $48.2 swing low. This level is important because it is the 1.00 projection for the wave $55.05 – 48.2 – 54.92, the 62 percent retracement from $44.37 to $55.05, and the key swing low for the upward wave formation from $44.37. Taking out $48.2 would call for at least $45.5, and very likely to $43.8 and lower.

The only real hope for a continued WTI price rally in the near term would be for prices to hold $48.2. Look for resistance at $51.0 and $52.5. A close over $52.5 would call for another test of the triple top of $55.0.

For a more in-depth analysis, take a free trial of Kase’s weekly crude oil price forecast.

wti price


Coming into this week there was an outside chance that Brent would hold $67.0. However, prices settled below $67.0 on Monday. There is immediate support at $65.2 as discussed in this week’s Crude Oil Commentary, but the decline is now poised for at least $62.8 and likely $58.5 before a measurable retracement takes place. The key target is $58.5 because it is the most confluent wave projection and the equal to (1.00) target for the wave $112.59 – 83.41 – 88.42. A sustained close below this will open the way for $53.8 and $48.7.

There is very little evidence that the move down is going to end at this time. Prices are still deeply oversold and overdue for a correction, but until at least initial resistance at $70.5 is overcome, the move down is favored. Next resistance is $72.1, and a close over the this would call for and an extended correction to $75.1 and possibly $79.8.

For detailed weekly forecasts take a trial of our energy commentaries.

brent


The WTI-Brent spread narrowed last week, but the move looks corrective. The spread will likely oscillate for the near-term, but ultimately odds favor a widening spread. The first target is (5.00), and a close below this would call for (6.50) and (9.00). Key long-term support is (11.80). This is a confluent wave projection and the 62 percent retracement from (19.38) to (0.01). Resistance at (0.90) should hold. A sustained close over (0.90) would open the way for 1.30 and 2.90.

For more information and to take a trial of Kase’s weekly energy forecasts please visit the Energy Price Forecasts page.

WTI-Brent




This is the fourth of a four part series on Kase Wave Analysis. In this video Kase’s senior analyst, Dean Rogers, shows how the Kase Wave Analysis can be combined with other technical factors and indicators to make trading decisions.

http://youtu.be/3JcHjdr2QWM

December WTI broke the recent and crucial $79.1 swing low when prices fell to a $78.14 intraday low on Monday. This was the 1.00 projection for the two largest waves down from $106.81 (Wave A) and $103.66 (Wave A’/C). WTI is now poised for at least $73.9 and possibly $69.8, which are the next targets for these waves. Look for near-term resistance at $79.8, $83.0, and $84.8.

For more information about this call, the importance of these targets (and others), and the technical factors driving prices lower, take a trial of Kase’s weekly energy forecasts.

December WTI