Crude Oil Trader Market Summary For Friday Evening

The S&P 500 index gapped up and closed higher on Friday as it extended this week's rally. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI remain bullish signaling that additional gains are possible near term. If September extends this week's rally, August's high crossing at 1127.50 is the next upside target. Closes below the 10 day moving average crossing at 1059.54 would confirm that a short term top has been posted. First resistance is today's high crossing at 1104.30. Second resistance is August's high crossing at 1127.50. First support is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1071.32. Second support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 1059.54.

Crude oil closed lower on Friday due to profit taking but remains above the 10 day moving average crossing at 73.56. The mid range close sets the stage for a steady opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI remain bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 75.24 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted. If October renews the decline off August's high, May's low crossing at 70.35 is the next downside target. First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 75.24. Second resistance is last Friday's high crossing at 75.21. First support is last Wednesday's low crossing at 70.76. Second support is May's low crossing at 70.35.

The U.S.Dollar closed lower on Friday as it extends yesterday's breakout below the 20 day moving average crossing at 82.61. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI are bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If September extends this week's decline, the reaction low crossing at 81.99 is the next downside target. If September renews August's rally, the reaction high crossing at 84.73 is the next upside target. First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 82.94. Second resistance is last Tuesday's high crossing at 83.64. First support is today's low crossing at 82.05. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 81.99.

Natural gas closed higher on Friday and above the 10 day moving average crossing at 3.864 signaling that a short term low might be in or is near. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold and are turning neutral to bullish hinting that a short covering rebound is possible near term. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 4.071 would confirm that a short term low has been posted. If October extends this year's decline, weekly support crossing at 3.225 is the next downside target. First resistance is today's high crossing at 3.946. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 4.071. First support is last Friday's low crossing at 3.697. Second support is weekly support crossing at 3.225.

Gold closed lower due to profit taking on Friday as it consolidates below the 87% retracement level of the June-July decline crossing at 1253.30. Stochastics and the RSI are overbought, diverging but are neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term. If August extends the rally off July's low, June's high crossing at 1267.10 is the next upside target. Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at 1228.80 are needed to confirm that a short term top has been posted. First resistance is Wednesday's high crossing at 1255.30. Second resistance is June's high crossing at 1267.10. First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 1240.60. Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1228.80.

Jump Start Your Trading, Get Market Club Today

Share

Phil Flynn: Welcome To September!

Forget all of that economic doom and gloom because that was so August! September has come and hope is rising. Maybe, just maybe, things were not as bad as it seemed and maybe having total petroleum supplies at all time highs really does not matter. You see in a world where the Fed always has your back it might be wise to not get to pessimistic. Remember the Fed has the printing press and they have promised to use it if needed. Of course oil had other scares to worry about.

An explosion and fire on a Mariner Energy platform had traders saying oh no here we go again. Mainer Energy, a former unit of Enron and now in the process of being bought by Apache, has had it shares of accidents racking up more than 12 in the last four years. Anytime you are dealing with oil and gas it is a potential dangerous situation and accidents are going to happen. The fears that this accident would give the critics of off shore drilling more ammunition to keep.....Read the entire article.

Every Once in a While, You Find Something Amazing....Check out Trend TV

Share

5 Reasons Natural Gas Is Poised for Upside

From Bill Powers and Keith Schaefer....

This last week before Labor Day marked the 2009 low for natural gas prices. Both the natural gas price and natural gas stocks had a big run through to January 2010, creating great wealth for investors. Could that happen again this year? How real is the seasonal trade in natural gas? And how does the natural gas market compare this year over last?

This chart, published by www.rigzone.com (they have one of the best daily free e-letters in the industry) shows how well the big seasonal trade worked last year, and how it has fared for the last 10 years.
Looking at this year, 2010, we have on the positive side:
Storage is Trending Lower:
The EIA reported that for the week ended August 27, 2010 working gas in storage was 3,106 billion cubic feet (bcf), only 54 bcf larger than the prior week. U.S. storage is now 208 bcf less than last year at this time and 169 bcf above the 5-year average.
More importantly, storage injections have been below the 5-year average for 11 consecutive weeks and this trend is set to continue. Gas storage could end the refill season on November 1st at approximately 3,500 bcf. This level of storage heading into the winter heating season supports substantially higher natural gas prices.
2. Demand Continues to Strengthen:
According to the EIA demand for the first 6 months of 2010 was approximately 4.3% greater than the first 6 months of 2009.
Given the strong prices for coal this year, many utilities have stepped up their purchases of gas to run their usage of their natural gas fired power plant fleet.
Additionally, despite the weak economy in the U.S., industrial demand for natural gas has is higher this year compared to 2009.
Also, as we head into the winter heating season, demand for natural gas always picks up and should we have another cold winter storage could be drawn down very quickly.

3. Oil/Gas Ratio is Bullish:
While oil and gas on an energy equivalent basis should trade at a 6:1, the two commodities currently trade at approximately 19:1. Many natural gas focused exploration and production companies have turned their attention away from natural gas and towards oil. Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK), the most active driller of shale gas wells in the U.S., has dramatically reduced its natural drilling in favor of a dozen new oil focused projects. Other companies have pursued similar paths.

4. Production Starting to Roll Over:
Monthly U.S. natural gas production which showed production fell 1.2% from May 2010 to June 2010, Due to falling production in the Gulf of Mexico, which accounts for nearly 11% of U.S. production, and several big producing states like Texas, Wyoming and New Mexico, overall U.S. production is headed downward for at least the next two years. Production growth from shale plays can no longer offset declines from the Gulf of Mexico and conventional areas.

5. Pressure Pumping Chokepoint: Due to increased demand for fracture stimulation services from the nearly dozen unconventional oil and gas plays currently under development in the U.S. and Canada, many operators are now having to wait weeks and even months for fracturing services. Once gas prices pick up and operators step up the pace of natural gas directed drilling, limited availability of fracture stimulation services will keep U.S. gas production from reversing its recently begun downtrend.

6. The forward curve for natural gas prices is much lower this year, which is to say the futures price for gas in 2011-2014 are lower than they were last year, this is bullish because it means producers can’t hedge big profits. It has also helped create the huge negative sentiment around natural gas prices, which we believe to be bullish.

On the negative side:
1. Producers are still being forced to drill to keep/earn land leases

2. Which is causing a continuing high rig count

3. And to pay for all this in the face of low cash flow, several large natural gas producers have formed joint ventures with big international companies, oftentimes National Oil Companies (NOC). This is BIG free money for these cash starved producers, and gives them the ability to keep drilling in the face of low prices.

4. Producers are now choking back production on prolific horizontal wells, reducing the steep (and highly publicized) decline rate of production in shale gas plays

5. Increased LNG capacity in both eastern Canada and the eastern US (though Liquid Natural Gas has been a non-factor in the North American market this year, and supply has been soaked up by Japan, Taiwan and China).

6. ETF (UNG-NYSE) buying continues to support prices. If low prices are the cure for low prices, investor buying in natural gas ETFs doesn’t help.

One of the last points for investors to consider, and this is neither bullish nor bearish, is that large commodity producers should not be relied upon as great gurus of their own pricing. In the last decade, some of the largest uranium, copper and gold producers, were caught completely by surprise when their commodity price spiked upwards, and were saddled with highly unprofitable hedges for years, at great cost to their shareholders.

The market will tell us within 60 days or less if the large seasonal run in natural gas prices will happen this year. We will be watching very closely.

With the fundamentals for natural gas greatly improved over the last couple of months and investment sentiment towards the commodity and gas weighted equities very negative, contrarian investors may consider getting positioned for a sharp rebound in gas prices.


Get 4 FREE Trading Videos from INO TV!


Share

Crude Oil Daily Technical Outlook For Friday Morning

Crude oil was lower overnight as it consolidates some of Thursday's rally. Stochastics and the RSI are bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 75.26 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted. If October renews the decline off August's high, May's low crossing at 70.35 is the next downside target.

First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 75.26
Second resistance is Monday's high crossing at 75.58

Crude oil pivot point for Friday morning is 74.42

First support is last Wednesday's low crossing at 70.76
Second support is May's low crossing at 70.35


Every Once in a While, You Find Something Amazing....Check out Trend TV

Share

Crude Oil Heads for Weekly Decline on Forecast for U.S. Jobless Increase

Crude oil declined, headed for a weekly drop, amid forecasts that a U.S. government report will probably show the jobless rate rose in August for the first time in four months, signaling a recovery in fuel demand may falter. Futures gave up some of yesterday’s 1.5 percent gain as analysts estimated the August payrolls report from the Labor Department may show the U.S. economy lost 105,000 jobs, according to a Bloomberg survey. Crude gained yesterday after an explosion on a Gulf of Mexico oil and gas platform prompted speculation that tighter regulations will cut production.

“Trading is volatile,” said Peter McGuire, managing director at CWA Global Markets Pty in Sydney. “People are still sitting on the sidelines waiting for the unemployment numbers.” The October contract fell as much as 48 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $74.54 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, and was at $74.69 at 2:53 p.m. Singapore time. Yesterday, it gained $1.11 to $75.02. Futures are 0.6 percent lower this week and down 5.9 percent this year.

“The market will turn to payroll numbers tonight with expectations of a headline fall of 105,000 and a rise in the unemployment rate to 9.6 percent,” Mark Pervan, head of commodity research at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. in Melbourne, said in an emailed note today.....Read the entire article.

Dennis Gartman’s 22 Rules of Trading

Share

Today's Trends: Crude Imports Decline, But Critical to U.S.

U.S crude oil imports grew rapidly from mid-20th century until the late 1970s, but fell sharply from 1979 to 1985, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Annual Energy Review 2009. The trend resumed upward from 1985 through 2004, then remained flat through 2007 before dropping in 2008 and 2009.

In 2009, crude oil imports were 9.1 million b/d; petroleum product imports were 2.7 million b/d; and exports were 2.0 million b/d mainly the form of distillate and residual fuel oils.

U.S. petroleum imports rose sharply in the 1970s, and reliance on petroleum from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) grew. In 2009, 41 percent of U.S. petroleum imports came from OPEC countries, down from 70 percent in 1977. After 1992, more petroleum came into the U.S. from non-OPEC countries than from OPEC countries.

Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Nigeria were the three key suppliers among OPEC countries of petroleum to the U.S. market. The amount of petroleum each country has sold to the U.S. has widely fluctuated over the decades. In 2009, Iraq supplied .4 million b/d of petroleum to the U.S., EIA reported.

Canada and Mexico were the largest non-OPEC suppliers of petroleum to the U.S. In 2009, U.S. imports from Canada reached a new high of 2.5 million b/d. Imports from Mexico were insignificant until the mid-1970s, when they began to play a key role in U.S. supplies. Canadian and Mexican petroleum together accounted for 32 percent of all U.S. imports in 2009.

What do Super Traders have in common?

Share

Brian Shactman: Where is Crude Oil and Gold Headed on Friday

CNBC's Brian Shactman discusses the day's activity in the commodities markets and looks at where oil and gold are likely headed tomorrow.




Every Once in a While, You Find Something Amazing....Check out Trend TV

Share

Crude Oil Trader Market Summary For Wednesday Evening

The S&P 500 index closed higher on Thursday as it extended yesterday's breakout above the 20 day moving average. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Friday. Stochastics and the RSI are bullish signaling that additional gains are possible near term. If September extends this week's rally, the reaction high crossing at 1098.40 is the next upside target. Closes below Tuesday's low crossing at 1037.50 would confirm that a short term top has been posted. First resistance is today's high crossing at 1086.70. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 1098.50. First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 1060.89. Second support is Tuesday's low crossing at 1037.50.

Crude oil closed higher on Thursday and the high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Friday. Stochastics and the RSI are bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 75.58 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted. If October renews the decline off August's high, May's low crossing at 70.35 is the next downside target. First resistance is last Friday's high crossing at 75.21. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 75.58. First support is last Wednesday's low crossing at 70.76. Second support is May's low crossing at 70.35.

Natural gas closed higher on Thursday as it extends the trading range of the past five days. The mid-range close sets the stage for a steady opening on Friday. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold but remain neutral to bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If October extends this year's decline, weekly support crossing at 3.225 is the next downside target. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 4.101 would confirm that a short term low has been posted. First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 3.889. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 4.101. First support is last Friday's low crossing at 3.697. Second support is weekly support crossing at 3.225.

Gold closed higher on Thursday and tested the 87% retracement level of the June-July decline crossing at 1253.30. Stochastics and the RSI are overbought, diverging but are neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term. If August extends the rally off July's low, June's high crossing at 1267.10 is the next upside target. Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at 1226.60 would confirm that a short term top has been posted. First resistance is Wednesday's high crossing at 1255.30. Second resistance is June's high crossing at 1267.10. First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 1238.60. Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1226.60.

Just click here for your FREE trend analysis of crude oil ETF USO

Share

Phil Flynn: ISM Into The Wild Blue Yonder Flying High Into The Sky

Where the heck did that come from? The Institute for Supply Management gave the market just what the doctor ordered with a shocking good reading on manufacturing. Why was it so shocking? Well some of the regional manufacturing reports like the Philly Fed and the Empire State numbers were so lousy. Maybe the Chicago Purchasing Manger report should have given a clue but instead of lousy we go the first increase in four months with an expansive jump to 56.3, up from 55.5 in July.

That was much higher than the expected 53.2 expectations and came ohm the heels of a strong PMI number in China! And what was probably even more important was that the ISM Employment Index part of the report that registered 60.4 percent in August, which is 1.8 percentage points higher than the 58.6 percent reported in July. According to ISM this is the ninth consecutive month of growth in manufacturing employment. An Employment Index above 49.8 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on manufacturing employment and should also beef up the expectations on Fridays whopping large monthly jobs report. It should also booster oil demand expectations as well as.....Read the entire article.

Every Once in a While, You Find Something Amazing....Check out Trend TV

Share

Silver About To Break Out Big!

Silver is one asset class I do not cover very often, but have been largely bullish on since $6 an ounce many years ago. It can be considered “poor man’s Gold” as they say. I believe Silver is about to stage a pretty large advance based loosely on the Elliott Wave pattern I see unfolding after a 9 odd month consolidation. (Obviously, there are also fundamental fiat currency/debt events worldwide that give it the underlying bull chart pattern). Since the average person can’t run out and buy an ounce of Gold for $1,240 tomorrow, as the unfolding of the fiat crises continues to enter the public psyche, you will see a strong populace movement into buying silver, silver coins, etc. To wit, many silver stocks are moving up strongly of late, signally an imminent breakout of this precious and industrial metal.

The triangle pattern has taken nearly 9 months so far, and a move over $19.50 could start a multi-month run targeting $26-$29 per ounce for starters before a broad pullback. A few silver stocks worth looking at include SLW (Silver Wheaton, which purchases future silver mine production in advance at a discount), a long time favorite of mine and Fortuna Silver, a growing producer and explorer favored by some of the brightest minds in the business. I do not own shares in either, so I have no inherent bias to mention them other than they are worth your time to review sooner than later. TMTF does not offer stock or trading advice, so please do your own research and consult a professional if need be.

I post the Silver chart below and my outline shows my views of a multi month 5 wave bullish triangle pattern on a weekly chart. Silver needs to bust through $19.50 per ounce to confirm, but I suspect we will see this fairly soon.

From The Market Trend Forecast .Com


Great Educational Video "Double Tops and Pivot Points Explained"


Share