U.S. to Sell New Onshore Alaska Oil Leases "Late This Year"

The U.S. government plans to sell oil leases on public land in Alaska's national petroleum reserve "late this year," the Bureau of Land Management said Tuesday.

The BLM said it plans to sell leases on tracts of land in the northeast and northwest areas of the reserve. In preparing for the sale, the agency issued a draft "determination of adequacy" showing that the leases meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.

The lease sale is part of an effort by the Obama administration to conduct annual oil and natural gas lease sales in the reserve, the agency said.


Posted courtesy of Rigzone.Com

J.W. Jones: The SP 500 and the Dollar Ahead of the Fed Meeting

The Federal Reserve is holding a two day meeting Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Market participants are expecting the Federal Reserve to prop up financial markets yet again with some grand new plan. The fact is the Federal Reserve is running out of bullets.

Interest rates cannot move much lower in terms of the Federal Funds rate, additional quantitative easing seems redundant since Treasury yields are close to all time lows, and finally a twisting of maturities will do little to alter the current economic conditions. The Federal Reserve is just repeating practices which have proven over a long term do little to create jobs or get the economy moving in the right direction. A stock market rally does not help a person looking for a job!

It is possible that even if the Federal Reserve proposes additional stimulus the market could sell off. I have been trading less in this environment and have been focusing on looking for trade setups that could work regardless of price action. For now I am sitting predominantly in cash waiting to see how price action reacts to the news flow tomorrow.

S&P 500
If I had to guess, I continue to believe that the S&P 500 will get back to test the key 1,250 – 1,280 price level. While this resistance level is apparent, Mr. Market will be able to tear up traders if price jams into that resistance zone. Mr. Market loves nothing more than to shake people out of positions. If price works higher I would expect the 1,250 – 1,280 price range to offer just enough risk / reward to get investors and traders involved in a choppy trading environment. The key upside levels on the S&P 500 are shown below on the daily chart of the S&P 500 Index ($SPX):



The flip side of that argument would see the S&P 500 jamming into recent resistance around the 1,230 price level. If prices rolled over and momentum picked up, a test of the recent August lows would likely transpire and could produce a breakdown and a lower low.

When looking at recent price action, the S&P 500 Index has put in a series of higher lows which is a bullish signal, however the S&P 500 has a long road ahead to break out above the 2011 highs. If the S&P 500 carves out a lower high on the S&P 500 Index at 1,230, 1,250, or even 1,280 and subsequently takes out the August lows then the secular bear will be back. The weekly chart of the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) shown below illustrates key support levels:



For now I am just going to sit in cash and wait for Mr. Market to provide me with some better clues. The trading range is pretty wide going from around 1,100 to 1,280. What I will be watching for is a strong move supported with volume that pushes price out of this range. As of the close today, price action was trading around the middle of this range but depending on how price action reacts to the news that comes out Wednesday it is possible that in coming days we could see a breakout in either direction.

Dow Jones Industrial Average
It will likely surprise long time readers that I am actually going to comment on the Dow. I will keep this brief, but I wanted to point it out to readers as I have not heard much mention of this pattern in the main stream financial media.

Over the weekend I was looking at some longer term charts and I accidentally stumbled across this head and shoulders pattern on a weekly chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. I rarely pay much attention to the Dow as I monitor the S&P 500 closely. However, I could not ignore what I was seeing. I also noted that a similar pattern also exists on the S&P 500.

I am generally not the kind of trader who tries to predict where price action will arrive in the distant future. However, I am not going to ignore clear chart patterns that I recognize regardless of the time frame I am looking at.

For those not familiar with a head and shoulders pattern, it is a very ominous signal. Head and shoulders patterns are generally topping formations that if triggered result in violent selloffs. On this chart the pattern is obvious and if the pattern were triggered the forthcoming price action would be decisively negative for domestic equities. The long term monthly chart of the Dow is shown below:



If the pattern is triggered on an undercut of the March 2009 lows, the head and shoulders formation would produce selling pressure that would target the 3,800 – 4,000 level on the Dow. Yes, you read that right! I want readers to recognize that this pattern is not a given and it could play out over a long period of time. The pattern would suggest that a test of the 2009 lows is possible, but I will leave the likelihood of that test up to Mr. Market.

I view this pattern as a potential warning signal for long term equity positions. Consequently, it is far too early to jump into a plethora of short positions or sell every equity position owned simply because of this pattern. While I do not know where price goes from here or if this pattern will ever trigger, I think market participants should be aware of its existence.

It would take the perfect concatenation of events to push prices down to the March 2009 lows, but unfortunately the condition of social mood paired with all of the risks facing financial markets is notable. The recent selloff in August came on the heels of a head and shoulders pattern that was triggered. We all know how August played out, but this pattern on the Dow Jones Industrial Average has a long way to go before it can even trigger. Time will tell, but readers should at the very least put this chart pattern on your radar!

U.S. Dollar Index
The U.S. Dollar Index has ripped higher by more than 5% since August 29th. The strength in the Dollar has likely been precipitated by fear based on the European sovereign debt and banking crisis. While the Dollar certainly has long term flaws, it may simply be the best of the worst.

If the situation in Europe begins to break down further based on any number of events it could likely push the U.S. Dollar Index considerably higher. My trading partner Chris Vermeulen has been riding this strong impulse wave with his subscribers Swing trading the UUP etf and thinks there is big potential still if  Euro Land fears continue to rise.

The daily chart of the Dollar Index futures is shown below:



Mid-Week Market Trend Conclusion
Wednesday will be filled with a variety of news and headlines. The Greek government is meeting and a news release regarding the conference will likely come out around the time domestic markets in the United States open. The news has the potential to move markets considerably.


In addition, the Federal Reserve is set to end its September meeting and market participants will be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to hear from the Federal Reserve about any stimulus the central bank may provide.


Overall, the news and headlines on Wednesday will certainly impact the current conditions of financial markets. Right now I am pleased to be sitting primarily in cash. I have a few positions open, but for the most part the trades are not directional and are profitable based on time decay.

The one directional trade I have on presently is a remaining sliver of a position I have already taken profits from and stops are in place. While I have been risk averse the past few trading sessions, I am flush with cash and ready to accept new risk if high probability setups emerge.

However, the best trade can sometimes be no trade at all and I intend to remain patient. Risk is extremely high!

Subscribers had over 100% return in August and already up over 50+% for September! Review my track record and join now at Options Trading Signals.com and receive a 24 hour 66% off coupon.

Are Sky High Gold Prices Justified?

Peter Turville-Ince, Head of Commodity & Equities Strategy at Compass Global Markets does not feel that gold is in a bubble especially with central bank inaction and the chances of rising inflation over the long term.

Crude Oil Market Commentary For Tuesday Sept. 20th

The crude oil market is presenting a mixed picture at the moment with our longer term monthly Trade Triangle negative and our intermediate term weekly Trade Triangle positive. This has created a trading range at the moment. The crude oil market remains in a sort of sideways motion, but with a bias toward testing the lower range of the Donchian trading channel. The Williams % R indicator is stuck in the middle, giving no real clue to direction.

Also pay attention to the MACD since it is beginning to lose momentum and could be rolling over to the downside if we have any more negative closes. We do not think that the crude oil market is ready to go higher, based on our long term monthly Trade Triangle which remains negative. The $90 a barrel resistance continues to stop this market on the upside. Look for crude oil to continue to move in a sideways to lower manner.

November crude oil posted an inside day with a higher close on Tuesday as it consolidated some of Monday's decline but remains below August's uptrend line crossing near 87.07. The mid range close sets the stage for a steady opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI have turned bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. Closes below last Monday's low crossing at 85.17 would confirm an end to the corrective rally off August's low while opening the door for a larger-degree decline into the end of September.

Closes above the May-July downtrend line crossing near 91.62 would confirm an end to this summer's decline. First resistance is last Tuesday's high crossing at 90.60. Second resistance is the May-July downtrend line crossing near 91.62. First support is last Monday's low crossing at 85.17. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 83.47.

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends = Positive
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score = – 65


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Bloomberg: Crude Oil Gains for First Time in Three Days

Crude oil rose for the first time in three days as advancing European equity markets eased concern that the region’s debt crisis is damping demand for fuel, while investors bet that some supplies may be at risk.

Futures in New York gained as much as 1.4 percent, halting a slide of more than 4 percent in the previous two trading days, as the Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced 1.6 percent. Opposition fighters in Libya continued to battle loyalists at the town of Bani Walid and the city of Sirte, while anti government protests in Yemen left 50 people dead this week.

“Given the scale of the price fall, we are seeing some buying interest out there,” said Amrita Sen, a London based analyst at Barclays Plc. “The fundamentals still look robust with demand, even after slowing down, outpacing supply growth.”

Oil for October delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained as much as $1.21 to $86.91 a barrel and was at $86.75 a barrel at 12:48 p.m. London time. The contract fell 2.6 percent yesterday and will expire today. The more actively traded November future was up $1.02 at $86.83 a barrel.

Brent crude for November settlement was up $1.40 at $110.54 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. The contract yesterday fell 2.7 percent to $109.14 a barrel. The European benchmark future was at a premium of $23.67 to the November price of West Texas Intermediate, compared with a record settlement of $26.87 on Sept. 6......Read the entire Bloomberg article.


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Phil Flynn: Twisted

Oil prices are trying to rebound in the aftermath of Greek default fears and despite the fact that S&P decided to downgrade Italy. Is it possible the Fed is getting ready to do the twist?

Lets twist again like we did last summer, ok back in the sixties when the Federal Reserve, in an attempt to stimulate long term investment, would buy paper at the long end of the yield curve thereby driving down yields in the hopes that individual investors and business would start making some long term commitment with their money.

Looking at the yield curve and the falling rates on the long end there seems to be a large sector of the trading population that thinks this is a done deal. Today it is the first day of the Federal Open Market Committee and it appears that instead of QE-3d, baby let's do the twist.

Of course the reason that the Fed is twisted is the fact that QE2 did not seem to have the desired effect. The fall out of rising oil and commodity prices and the fact that the money seemed to stay in bank vaults as opposed to getting into the real economy, is making it more difficult for the Fed to justify its 3D version. Now the question is, will it work and is it bullish or bearish for oil?......Read the entire PFGs Best article.

OPEC’s $1 Trillion Cash Quiets Poor of the Middle East

Saudi Arabia will spend $43 billion on its poorer citizens and religious institutions. Kuwaitis are getting free food for a year. Civil servants in Algeria received a 34 percent pay rise. Desert cities in the United Arab Emirates may soon enjoy uninterrupted electricity.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries members are poised to earn an unprecedented $1 trillion this year, according to the U.S. Energy Department, as the group’s benchmark oil measure exceeded $100 a barrel for the longest period ever. They are promising to plow record amounts into public and social programs after pro democracy movements overthrew rulers in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and spread to Yemen and Syria.

Unlike past booms, when Abu Dhabi bought English soccer club Manchester City and Qatar acquired a stake in luxury carmaker Porsche SE, Gulf nations pledged $150 billion in additional spending this year on their citizens. They will need to keep U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude oil at more than $80 a barrel to afford their promises, according to Bank of America Corp.....Read the entire article.

Crude Oil and Gold Market Commentary For Monday Evening Sept. 19th

The October crude oil contract was immediately on the defensive when it opened today and moved down to the key $85.00 support level. This is a very important area for this market and we would view a close below $85.00 as a very negative sign for crude oil. This would break a support trendline that began on August 9th.

We do not think that the crude oil market is ready to go higher, based on our long term monthly Trade Triangle which remains negative. The $90 a barrel resistance continues to stop this market on the upside. Look for crude oil to continue to move in a sideways to lower manner.

Crude oil closed lower on Monday and below August's uptrend line crossing near 86.62. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI are overbought, diverging and are turning bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term.

Closes below last Monday's low crossing at 85.17 would confirm an end to the corrective rally off August's low while opening the door for a larger degree decline into the end of September. Closes above the May-July downtrend line crossing near 91.86 would confirm an end to this summer's decline. First resistance is last Tuesday's high crossing at 90.60. Second resistance is the May-July downtrend line crossing near 91.86. First support is last Monday's low crossing at 85.17. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 83.47.

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends = Positive
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score = – 75

The gold bulls have to be disappointed with today’s market action even though the longer term trend for gold remains positive. We still believe that the $1,750 area is important support for spot gold. Providing that our monthly and weekly Trade Triangles remain intact, we want to approach this market from the long side.

The Williams % R is once again in an oversold condition. The $1,840 level is resistance for gold at the moment. Support comes in around the $1,775 and extends all the way down to $1,750. Intermediate and long term traders should maintain long positions with the appropriate money management stops in place.

December gold closed lower on Monday as it consolidates below the 20 day moving average. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI remain bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term.

If December extends this month's decline, the reaction low crossing at 1705.40 is the next downside target. If December renews this year's rally into uncharted territory, upside target are hard to project. First resistance is this month's high crossing at 1920.70. First support is last Friday's low crossing at 1765.40. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 1705.40.

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends = Positive
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score = + 55


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EIA Report: World Wide Energy Use Expected to Increase 53% by 2035

In a statement released on Monday the EIA, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, predicts that the worlds energy consumption will increase by as much as 53% by 2035. in China and India.

Todays report, the 2011 International Energy Outlook, predicts that consumption of energy from renewable and alternative sources will be the fastest growing in the energy sector. Reaching 15% of the world energy use by 2035 compared to 10% in 2008. But fossil fuels will still be the world's dominant source, accounting for about 78% of the world's energy use in 2035.

The EIA said it expects oil prices to remain high, reaching $125 per barrel in 2035, but added that consumption of oil will still grow during that period.

The EIA also predicts that petroleum prices are "very sensitive to both supply and demand conditions" and that prices could fall to $50 per barrel or approach $200 per barrel, depending in part of the rate of economic growth in developing countries.

The EIA report projects changes in world energy markets between 2008 and 2035. It doesn't take into account the potential impacts of policy changes that have not yet been implemented.

One area that will be particularly sensitive to policy actions: competition between coal, natural gas, and renewable sources to meet electricity demand, said Howard Gruenspecht, the acting EIA administrator, during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The report projects, absent policy changes, tremendous growth in coal consumption by China and to a lesser extent India and other developing countries. That growth is a key driver of a projected increase in worldwide carbon dioxide emissions, which EIA predicted would jump about 43% between 2008 and 2035. China's carbon emissions were somewhat higher than those of the U.S. in 2008, but are projected to be "more than twice as high" as U.S. emissions by 2035, Gruenspecht said.

Natural gas consumption was projected to grow at a faster rate than any other type of fossil fuel, thanks in part to increased supply from the U.S. and elsewhere. Consumption will grow from 111 trillion cubic feet in 2008 to 169 trillion cubic feet in 2035, the report predicted.

Use of nuclear power increases slightly in the EIA projections, but "the full extent of the withdrawal of government support for nuclear power is uncertain" in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi crisis in Japan, Gruenspecht said.

Gruenspecht said that due to budget cuts impacting the EIA, the outlook report might not be released next year. "That's a little bit of question mark in the present resource environment."


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Phil Flynn: Can't Get Away From Greece

Global oil markets are falling as the Greece problem continues to weigh on market sentiment. Market odds put a Greek default at 98% and rising. The Wall Street Journal reported, "In Greece, the cabinet of Prime Minister George Papandreou met on Sunday to discuss growing concerns over the nation's ability to meet its fiscal targets. The so called "troika" of international lenders the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Commission are withholding the next disbursement of aid to Greece until the government comes up with a credible plan to meet its deficit-reduction commitments."


In a sharply worded statement released after the cabinet meeting Sunday, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the government takes full responsibility for the implementation of the agreed program, but also warned that Greece shouldn't be the "scapegoat" used by European institutions to hide their inability to manage the euro-zone crisis." So take that and please write me a check! The Greek government knows that it is going to be very messy for the Euro Zone if they are allowed to fail so at some point they may just tell Europe to either come up with more cash or face the consequences that will come when Greek goes belly up.....Read the entire article.


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