ONG: Crude Oil Weekly Technical Outlook

Crude oil rose to as high as 103.37 last week but failed to sustain above 100 psychological level and retreated. A short term top should be formed and initial bias is mildly on the downside for deeper pull back towards 94.65 support. Nevertheless, downside is expected to be contained by 89.16/17 cluster support (50% retracement of 74.95 to 103.37) and bring rebound. On the upside, above 100.15 minor resistance will turn bias neutral and bring consolidations. But break of 103.37 resistance is needed to confirm rally resumption. Otherwise, we'll stay near term neutral and expect more sideway trading first.

In the bigger picture, current development indicates the fall from 114.83 has finished at 74.95. The structure suggests it's merely a correction or part of a consolidation pattern. Hence, rise from 33.2 is not finished yet. As long as 89.16/7 support holds, we'd now favor a break of 114.83 resistance to resume the rally from 33.2. Meanwhile, break of 64.23 support is needed to confirm completion of the whole rise from 33.2. Otherwise, we'll continue to stay bullish in crude oil.

In the long term picture, crude oil is in a long term consolidation pattern from 147.27, with first wave completed at 33.2. The corrective structure of the rise from 33.2 indicates that it's second wave of the consolidation pattern. While it could make another high above 114.83, we'd anticipate strong resistance ahead of 147.24 to bring reversal for the third leg of the consolidation pattern.

Nymex Crude Oil Continuous Contract 4 Hour, Daily, Weekly and Monthly Charts