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Many near-term factors are positive for WTI crude oil. Tuesday’s move up confirmed a daily morning star, today’s move settled above the $51.22 swing high, and last week’s $50.5 midpoint has been overcome. These factors call for the move up to continue, but caution is warranted.

WTI met and held the exact 62 percent retracement of the decline from $58.26 to $49.1 when it rose to $51.42 today. This crucial level held again when prices rose to $51.37 ahead of the close.

WTI Crude Oil Kase Bars — WTI Crude Oil $0.35 Kase Bars

Therefore, prices will probably test support at $50.6 before challenging $51.4 again. Key support is $50.1, Tuesday’s midpoint and the 62 percent retracement of the rise from $49.1 to $51.42. A close below this would indicate the move up has failed and that the near-term has readopted a negative outlook.

Should prices settle above $51.4, look for a $52.1 and more likely $52.5 to be met before the end of the week.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Crude Oil Commentary 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.

November natural gas overcame $2.94 but could not settle above this highly confluent threshold. The pullback from $2.962 formed a long upper shadow on the daily chart. Patterns like this that have formed during the past few weeks have been early warnings that the corrective moves up have stalled. This is probably the case again, so odds favor a test of at least $2.86 tomorrow. A close below $2.86 would open the way for $2.82 and more likely $2.79. The key objective is $2.75, which is in line with the continuation chart’s $2.753 swing low.

Natural Gas Kase Bars — Natural Gas $0.035 Kase Bars

That said, support at $2.88, the 62 percent retracement of the move up from $2.827, held this afternoon. Therefore, there is an outside chance that the move up will continue. A move above $2.93 in early trading would open the way for $2.97, which is now the smaller than (0.618) projection of the wave $2.827 – 2.962 – 2.884. This is also near the 38 percent retracement of the decline from $3.214 and the 62 percent retracement from $3.089. A close above $2.97 would call for $3.02, the equal to (1.00) projection, 50 percent retracement from $3.214, and 50-day moving average.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

November natural gas’ initial rise to $2.977 overcame Monday’s $2.967 midpoint. However, prices could not close above that level and the subsequent decline has already retraced 50 percent of the move up from $2.88. The candlestick’s long upper shadow indicates today’s move up was most likely a failed attempt to overcome resistance. Therefore, odds still favor a decline. A move below $2.90 early tomorrow would open the way for $2.85.

That said, a bullish daily KaseCD divergence and rising Stochastic %K-line indicate consolidation and possibly another attempt at $2.98 and higher might take place. $3.02 is most important for the near-term because it is split around the 38 percent retracement of the decline from $3.214, the 62 percent retracement from $3.089 and the 50-day moving average.

To confirm the move down is over (for now), prices must overcome the $3.089 swing high, which is also the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $3.214. This would, in turn, take out the wave $3.214 – 2.974 – 3.089 that projects to $2.85 and lower.

With all factors considered, the market still has a neutral-to-negative near-term outlook. Until external factors can support a sustained recovery, the decline will most likely continue to grind its way lower.

October natural gas’ settle below Monday’s $3.098 midpoint opens the way for a larger correction to at least $3.06. The move down is most likely corrective. However, for the move up to continue over the next few days $3.06 needs to hold. A close below this would not doom the move up but rather indicate that a deeper test of support and possible consolidation will begin to take place.

Initial resistance is $3.13, the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $3.166, so far. $3.17 is the key threshold for the near-term. A close above this would indicate the corrective pullback is over and that the move up will extend to $3.23. This is currently the most confluent objective making it another potential stalling point.

WTI crude oil has formed strong resistance between $50.82 and $50.88. This level has been challenged three times over the past few days and held. One might argue that this is a triple top. However, the decline from $50.88 has been extremely shallow and choppy indicating it is most likely corrective.

This afternoon’s move up from the $49.73 swing low calls for another attempt at $50.9 early tomorrow. A move above this would call for $51.3, a confluent wave projection that sits just above the 200-day moving average. The confluence and importance of $51.3 make it another potential stalling point. A close over $51.3 would call for $51.7 and $52.5.

That said, the daily Stochastic is overbought and the move up seems to be exhausted. Should prices fall below $49.6 before rising above $50.9, look for an extended correction to $48.9 and possibly lower before the move up continues to $51.3.

October natural gas settled above $3.03 and fulfilled the $3.06 target. The next objective is $3.09, the equal to (1.00) target of the wave $2.88 – 3.088 – 2.885. The key objective is $3.12, the smaller than (0.618) target of the wave $2.799 – 3.042 – 2.88. This has been strong resistance all summer for October and the continuation chart, making it a decision point for a larger scale move up and sustained recovery.

A sustained close above $3.12 would open the way for $3.17 and $3.22. Above $3.12 the $3.22 objective is most important because it is the 50 percent retracement of the decline from $3.619. This is also a confluent projection for the aforementioned waves up from $2.799 and $2.88.

Daily momentum does not show any signs that the move up will stall. However, a few intraday charts are setup for divergence or are overbought. Therefore, given $3.12 has been such strong resistance a pullback might take place before it is overcome.

At this point, any move down will most likely be corrective. Tomorrow, support at $3.03 should hold. Key support is $2.96, which is the 50-day moving average and 62 percent retracement of the move up from $2.88 so far.

WTI crude oil still looks weaker than Brent and products after forming a star today and settling below Friday’s $48.28 midpoint. However, prices are poised to break higher out of a bullish ascending triangle and should meet the smaller than (0.618) target of the wave $47.0 – 48.44 – 47.84 at $48.7. A close above this would clear the way for the equal to (1.00) target at $49.3. This is an important objective because it is also in line with the smaller than target of the wave $45.58 – 49.42 – 47.0.

October 2017 WTI Crude Oil Kase Bar Chart

There is an outside chance the formation that makes up the ascending wedge is alternatively a double top at $48.44. To confirm the pattern prices would have to hold $48.44 and settle below the $47.84 swing low. This would then call for a test of the double top’s $47.2 target. Settling below $47.2 would call for the decline to extend to $46.8 and $46.4. The $46.4 level is most important because it is the smaller than target of the larger scale wave $50.51 – 45.58 – 49.42.

Yesterday’s decline was a dose of reality that has set natural gas back into a state of uncertainty. With all factors considered, October natural gas will most likely settle back into a neutral trading range between nominally $2.91 and $3.04. This is about the same range prices oscillated within before last Thursday’s break high out of the bullish flag.

The wave formation down from $3.088 and a bearish daily KaseCD divergence call for $2.95, which then connects to $2.91. A close below $2.91 would call for $2.85, which in turn, would take out the crucial $2.88 swing low. A move below $2.88 would wipe out the wave up from $2.799 that projects to key upper resistance at $3.12.

That said, the 50-day moving average has held, so there is a modest chance the wave up from today’s $2.96 low could extend to $3.04 first. At this point we expect $3.04 to hold. However, a close above this would call for another attempt at $3.09 and possibly $3.12.

October WTI crude oil could not settle above $49.2 resistance and is exhibiting signs of exhaustion. A pullback should take place soon, but at this point, there are no definitive technical factors that indicate the move up will stall before reaching $49.6 and possibly $50.0. A close over $50.0 would open the way for another test of $50.5, which then connects to $51.1 and higher.

Initial support is $48.6. A close below this would call for a larger downward correction to $48.0 and $47.4. Support at $48.0 is the 100-day moving average and the 38 percent retracement of the move up from $45.58. A normal correction should hold $48.0. Support at $47.4 is in line with the 50-day moving average and the 62 percent retracement of the move up from $45.58. Settling below $47.4 would be a strong indication the move up is over.

October natural gas looks to be well balanced as it continues to oscillate in a range between nominally $2.88 and $3.03. The range forms a bullish flag after holding support at $2.88 on Monday. However, today’s early move up stalled before it could overcome the $2.998 swing high and challenge the flag’s $3.03 upper trend line.

Flags are generally reliable continuation patterns. However, in this case, we believe there is a high probability that $3.03 will hold and that ultimately prices will break lower out of the pattern. This is because the pattern has been very wide relative to the prior move up from $2.799 to $3.042. In addition, prices have not been able to overcome the psychologically important $3.00 level for the past few days.

NGV17 Kase Bar Chart — NGV17 $0.035 Kase Bar Chart

Because the wave $2.88 – 2.998 – 2.91 met its $2.99 smaller than (0.618) projection there is still a reasonable chance for a test of $3.03. However, a move below the $2.91 swing low would wipe out that wave and significantly dampen the odds for $3.03 and higher. Therefore, at this point, a move above either $2.99 or below $2.91 should give us a good idea of the direction for the next few days.

The market remains tight and may continue to oscillate in a narrowing range, but with all factors considered, tomorrow look for a test of $2.90 and possibly $2.87. A close below $2.87 would confirm a break lower out of the flag, opening the way for $2.84 and lower.

Should the $2.91 swing low hold and prices overcome $2.99, near-term odds will shift back in favor of challenging $3.03. A close above $3.03 would confirm a break higher out of the flag and call for $3.08 and ultimately $3.12.

WTI Crude Oil Short-Term Forecast – October 11, 2017

Tag: Price Forecasting