PetroChina Profit Tops Analyst Estimates, Acquisitions Planned

PetroChina Co., the world’s most valuable company, posted profit that beat analysts’ estimates on record earnings from oil refining after the government raised fuel prices and China’s economic recovery spurred demand. Second quarter net income rose 26 percent to 31.5 billion yuan ($4.6 billion), derived by subtracting earnings for January to March from first half figures announced in Hong Kong yesterday. The Beijing based oil producer and refiner joins China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., known as Sinopec, in reporting higher profit. The gains contrast with earnings declines at Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc after the global recession cut U.S. and European consumption. PetroChina, Sinopec and Cnooc Ltd., the nation’s biggest oil companies, this week pledged.....Complete Article

Is it Time to Buy Natural Gas? Let's Look at the Current Trend Chart

Smart Scan Chart Analysis for UNG confirms that a strong downtrend in natural gas is in place and that the market remains negative longer term. Trade this strong Downtrend with tight money management stops. A "Trade Triangle" indicates the presence of a very strong trend that is being driven by strong forces and insiders. As we can see the answer is obvious.

Based on a pre-defined weighted trend formula for chart analysis, UNG scored -100 on a scale from -100 (strong downtrend) to +100 (strong uptrend):

-10......Last Hour Close Below 5 hour Moving Average
-15......New 3 Day Low on Friday
-20......Last Price Below 20 Day Moving Average
-25......New 3 Week Low, Week Ending August 22nd
-30......New 3 Month Low in August
-100.....Total Score



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Industry Worries Rise As Natural Gas Sags

Despite recent cutbacks in production, natural gas prices are at a seven year low and the U.S. still faces surpluses, fueling concern the industry has yet to hit bottom. At the same time, oil and gas producers are beginning to see operational costs creep up again after pushing suppliers to lower prices for products and services in recent months, putting further pressure on margins, an industry analyst said Wednesday at the NAPE summer conference in Houston. "This is a problem for all of us at the moment," Bob Fryklund, vice president of IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates, told a ballroom of oil and gas professionals during a panel discussion at the conference, formerly known as the North American Prospect Expo.....Complete Story

Natural Gas ETF Implosion

Natural gas seems to have fallen out of favor in 2009. Over the past year the spot price of natural gas has fallen from a high of $14 to below $3. The primary reasons for the free fall in price is the sizable natural gas inventories around the world combined with a relatively stubborn natural gas industry which refuses to slow production in the wake of a global recession and economic slowdown.

As the bifurcation between oil and natural gas began to play out this year, many looked at the widening gap in the oil to natural gas price ratio as an opportunity to long natural gas, which they thought was merely lagging the recovery in oil prices by a few weeks.....Read The Complete Article

UNG, USO Trading Alerts Newsletter From The Gold and Oil Guy

UNG Natural Gas Trading Fund – Daily Chart
Nat gas looks to be finding support at the $11.50 level. This could provide a great short term trade for those active traders looking to grab a quick 5-10% gain if the price starts to rally intraday. Overall natural gas has been trading down and sideways.




USO Crude Oil Trading Fund - Weekly Chart
Crude oil has a very nice looking chart. The bullish pennant is pointing to a much higher price. Currently the price is stuck under the June resistance level but appears to be holding up nicely. Any week now I expect to see a sharp rally or a sharp sell off. Let’s continue to watch the price unfold.



Technical Traders Conclusion:
The analysis above allows you to see that crude oil is trading in a bullish pennant. I am watching the daily charts very closely for a buy signal. Waiting for my low risk buy signal is important because it confirms momentum and bullish price action before we put our money to work. This commodity could easily roll over and sell down quickly which is why I always follow my trading strategy to help avoid getting caught on the wrong side of the trade.

Natural gas is currently over sold in my opinion and ready for a bounce. If the price starts to move higher tomorrow (above Wednesdays high) then you could go long for a 1-5 day trade. There is a good chance it will provide 5-10% return, but be sure to take profits quickly as it is just a bounce (dead cat bounce). If the price drops below Wednesdays low then I would not be holding it any longer.

If you would like to receive my Free Weekly Trading Reports or my Real-Time Trading Signals for ETF’s and Stocks please visit my websites at Gold and Oil Guy or Active Trading Partner

Oil Declines Below $70 on Signs Demand Will Be Slow to Recover

Crude oil fell below $70 a barrel in New York on signs that demand will be slow to rebound after a report yesterday showed that inventories unexpectedly rose last week in the U.S., the world’s largest energy consuming country. Oil prices dropped as much as 2.2 percent to their lowest level in a week after the Energy Department said crude stockpiles rose 128,000 barrels last week, compared with forecasts for a 1.15 million barrel reduction. U.S. jobless claims increased more than estimated. They peaked in April in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression. “We’re not seeing anything to suggest demand is recovering, so there’s nothing on the fundamental side that would suggest prices would be this high,” said Bill O’Grady, chief market strategist.....Complete Story

Commodities Move Sideways But With A Mildly Bullish Tone

Crude oil recovers modestly in European morning. Rise in Asian stock markets and strong sentiment index in Germany boost price. Currently trading at 72.2, the benchmark contract will continue its narrow trading ahead of oil inventory report.
Germany's IFO business climate index rose to 90.5 in August, compared with market expectation of 89.1, from 87.3 in the prior month. Leading the surprisingly strong number was a +4.6 point increase in the 'expectations' component. The 'current conditions' component also gained +1.8 points during the month. In Asia, stocks advanced as several Chinese companies' reported better than expected earnings results. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index surged.....Complete Story

Crude Oil Falls as Dollar Strengthens on Chinese Demand Concern

Crude oil fell for a second day as the dollar strengthened, undermining demand for assets used to hedge against inflation. Oil dropped as much as 1.9 percent as the dollar advanced on a report by the Xinhua News Agency that China is studying curbs on industrial overcapacity, increasing concern the global economic recovery will slow. Oil also declined after an unexpected gain in crude inventories. “The fact that we are getting some strength in the dollar is certainly a contributing factor to the recent weakness we are seeing in oil,” said Stephen Schork, president of consultant Schork Group Inc. in Villanova, Pennsylvania. “There’s still a lot of supply in this market and not a lot of demand”.....Complete Story

Peak Oil? Crude Oil Supply Data Doesn't Lie

After the epic crash last year, the price of oil is stabilizing and it should rise exponentially over the following years. Over the past year, global consumption has stayed weak, however once the economy recovers, crude oil should resume its secular bull market. Despite the 'demand destruction' hype, it is interesting to note that during this severe global recession, worldwide oil usage has dropped by a minuscule 2.7%. So, what will happen when the world comes out of this recession? Who will rise up to the challenge and meet our insatiable thirst for energy? These are critical questions not many are willing to ask. According to the US Department of Energy, liquid fuel demand in the developed nations peaked in August 2005 at 41.89 million barrels per day..... Complete Story

Oil Falls a Second Day After Report Shows U.S. Supplies Rose

Crude oil fell for a second day after an industry report showed that inventories rose last week. Oil dropped as much as 1.7 percent after the American Petroleum Institute reported yesterday that oil supplies climbed 1.3 percent, the most since April, to 346.7 million barrels. The Energy Department will say in a report today that stockpiles fell 1.15 million barrels last week, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts.“If we’re seeing actual builds in inventories, especially crude inventories, that might imply we’re seeing a bit of a rush to the market with new supply coming in,” said Brad Samples, a commodity analyst for Summit Energy Inc., an energy management company in Louisville, Kentucky.....Complete Story