Crude Closes Lower Shrugging Off OPEC Meeting On Sunday

April crude oil closed lower on Friday as it consolidated some of Thursday's rally.

The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Monday.

Stochastics and the RSI have turned bearish hinting that a short term top might be in or is near.

Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.68 would temper the near term friendly outlook in the market.

If April extends this month's rally, the reaction high crossing at $50.88 is the next upside target.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at $48.83.

Second resistance is the reaction's high crossing at $50.88.

First support is the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.67.

Second support is the reaction low crossing at $39.44.

Crude Oil Falls On IEA, OPEC Forecast. Exxon Brazil Project Rivals Tupi

"Oil Falls After IEA, OPEC Cut Demand Forecasts Because of Global Recession"
Crude oil fell after the International Energy Agency and OPEC cut their global demand forecasts because of the recession in major consuming countries....Complete Story

"Uganda's Environment Body Approves Early Oil Output"
Uganda's environmental authority has approved an early production scheme by Tullow Oil, removing a legal hurdle for development of crude in the Albertine basin....Complete Story

"Exxon Mobil's Brazil Find May Hold 8 Billion Barrels of Oil, Rivaling Tupi"
Exxon Mobil Corp.’s oil discovery off the coast of Brazil may hold enough crude to rival the nearby Tupi prospect as the Western Hemisphere’s largest find in three decades....Complete Story

"South Korea Appeals To Nigerian Government Over Quashed Oil Deal"
Seoul's state energy firm said Thursday it has petitioned Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua to reverse his country's decision to scrap oil exploration rights awarded to a South Korean consortium....Complete Story

Crude Oil Signals Short Term Top May Be In, 1st Resistance Is $48.83

April crude oil looks to extend Thursday's rally. Stochastics and the RSI are neutral to bearish hinting that a short term top might be in or is near.

Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.72 are needed to confirm that a short term top has been posted.

If April renews the rally off February's low, the reaction high crossing at $50.88 is the next upside target.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at $48.83.

Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at $50.88.

First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at $44.56.

Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.72.

Crude Oil Whip Saws Traders With Back To Back Pivotal Days, Short Term Top May Still Be In

April crude oil closed sharply higher on Thursday ending a two day correction off Monday's high.

The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Friday.

Stochastics and the RSI are turning bearish hinting that a short term top might be in or is near.

Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.46 would temper the near term friendly outlook in the market.

If April extends this month's rally, the reaction high crossing at $50.88 is the next upside target.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at $48.83.

Second resistance is the reaction's high crossing at $50.88.

First support is the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.46.

Second support is the reaction low crossing at $39.44.

SBM Suffers 14.6% Profit Slide, OPEC Considers Next Cut

"SBM Suffers 14.6% Profit Slide"
Offshore contractor Single Buoy Moorings reported final results for 2008 in line with its preliminary announcement with net profit of US $228 m which was down 14.6% from $267 m in 2007....Complete Story

"OPEC February Production Down 28.07 Million Per Day"
The 12 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped an average 28.07 million barrels per day (b/d) in February, as the oil producer club continued its efforts to slash oversupply and prevent oil prices falling further....Complete Story

"Oil Rises More Than $4 as OPEC Members to Consider Fourth Production Cut"
Crude oil rose more than $4 a barrel, the biggest gain in three weeks, before OPEC meets this weekend to consider a fourth production cut....Complete Story

Crude Oil Seems To Consolidate Rally, Turning Bearish

April crude oil closed lower due to profit taking on Wednesday as it consolidates some of its recent rally.

The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Thursday.

Stochastics and the RSI are overbought and are turning bearish hinting that a short term top might be in or is near.

Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.27 would temper the near term friendly outlook in the market.

If April extends this month's rally, the reaction high crossing at $50.88 is the next upside target.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at $48.83.

Second resistance is the reaction's high crossing at $50.88.

First support is the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.27.

Second support is the reaction low crossing at $39.44.

Pivotal Day For Crude Oil, Short Term Top May Be In

April crude oil closed lower due to profit taking on Wednesday as it consolidates some of its recent rally.

The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Thursday.

Stochastics and the RSI are overbought and are turning bearish hinting that a short term top might be in or is near.

Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.27 would temper the near term friendly outlook in the market.

If April extends this month's rally, the reaction high crossing at $50.88 is the next upside target.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at $48.83.

Second resistance is the reaction's high crossing at $50.88.

First support is the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.27.

Second support is the reaction low crossing at $39.44.

Crude Oil Falls After Report of Larger Than Expected U.S. Inventory Gain

"Iraq Inaugurates Oil Deal with China's CNPC"
Iraq inaugurated an oil project on Wednesday with the Chinese National Petroleum Company, activating the country's first major oil deal with a foreign firm since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003....Complete Story

"Crude Oil Falls After Report of Larger Than Expected U.S. Inventory Gain"
Crude oil futures fell after a U.S. government report showed a bigger than expected inventory gain as lower demand prompted refiners to slow processing....Complete Story


"Bad Weather Halts Kuwait Oil Exports"
Kuwait halted its oil exports of more than 2 million barrels per day on Tuesday due to bad weather, spokesman for state refiner Kuwait National Petroleum Co (KNPC) Mohammad Al-Ajmi said....Complete Story

Can The U.S. Economy Survive $80.00 Crude Oil

We have been saying for some time that the U.S. economy has found itself in the position that if oil spikes again even those that work will not be able to afford to drive, better yet the millions of unemployed. And that includes major industry.

For the first time since September of 2007, the crude oil (NYME_CL) market has flashed a positive signal that it is headed higher. This is the first buy signal that we have seen in over 18 months in the energy markets.

The big question is, if crude oil is headed higher, how much of a price increase can the US economy afford and withstand?

Find out here:Watch Video

Here is a raw commodity that is used by everyone and the U.S. has no control over. This key commodity to commerce just happens to be in areas that are normally hostile to the US. If we see a hiccup in the supply chain that changes this market dynamic, even for a short time period, we could see oil move back to the $80/barrel range in a heart beat.

So how will this affect the US equity markets? If crude oil heads back to the $75-$80 range, I expect that the major indices will head south. I call it the 551 syndrome. 5000 on the Dow, 500 on the S&P 500, and finally 1000 on the NASDAQ.

In this short video we will share with you the potential target zones we could see in the next 6 to 12 months in crude oil.

So with the trend in crude oil in a positive trajectory and the trend in the US equity markets in a negative trajectory, I think the two will feed off themselves. Look for traders and hedge funds to move aggressively in both these areas with abandon.

Lastly with no reinstatement of the up-tick rule, expect stocks to once again get pummeled to oblivion.

Find out here:Watch Video

Profit Taking Drives Crude Oil Lower

April crude oil closed lower due to profit taking on Tuesday as it consolidated some of Monday's rally.

The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Wednesday.

Stochastics and the RSI are becoming overbought but remain neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

If April extends this month's rally, the reaction high crossing at $50.88 is the next upside target.

Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.32 would temper the near term friendly outlook in the market.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at $48.83.

Second resistance is the reaction's high crossing at $50.88.

First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at $44.15.

Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at $42.32.

10:30 AM ET. Mar 6 US Energy Dept Oil Inventories

...Crude Oil Stocks (previous 350.59)

...Crude Oil Stocks (Net Change) (expected -300K; previous -757K)

...Gasoline Stocks (previous 215.51)

...Gasoline Stocks (Net Change) (expected -700K; previous +168K)

...Distillate Stocks (previous 143.2M)

...Distillate Stocks (Net Change) (expected +400K; previous +1.67M)

...Refinery Usage (expected 83%; previous 83.1%)