Sunday, June 3, 2012

Chevron Phillips Chemical Signs Letter to Study Iraq Plant

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Iraq and Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., a joint venture of Chevron Corp. (CVX) and ConocoPhillips (COP), signed a letter of intent to evaluate the feasibility of developing a petrochemical plant in the country, officials said.

The company would examine building a new facility and upgrading an existing Iraq owned petrochemicals factory in southern Basra province, Hanaa al-Husseini, a spokeswoman for the Industry and Minerals Ministry, said today in Baghdad.

Melanie Samuelson, a spokeswoman for Chevron Philips, said in an e-mailed statement that the company, with headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas, wants to assess “the feasibility of developing an integrated petrochemical complex.” Both Chevron Phillips and the ministry declined to give additional details, including cost estimates or dates for the project.

Read the entire Bloomberg article.


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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Crude Oil Bulls Take Brutal Beating on Jobs Report....Next stop $81.36!

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Crude oil closed lower on Friday following today's bearish jobs data, which suggest that we will likely see lower demand this summer. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening when Sundays evening session begins. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold but remain neutral to bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this month's decline, the 87% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 81.36 is the next downside target. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 92.88 are needed to confirm that a low has been posted. First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 89.64. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 92.88. First support is today's low crossing at 82.29. Second support is the 87% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 81.36.

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Natural gas closed lower on Friday extending this week's decline. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Monday. Stochastics and the RSI are bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this week's decline, the reaction low crossing at 2.166 is the next downside target. Closes above the 10 day moving average crossing at 2.606 would confirm that a short term low has been posted First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 2.606. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 2.838. First support is today's low crossing at 2.313. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 2.166.

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Gold closed sharply higher on Friday following this morning's bearish jobs report. The mid range close sets the stage for a steady opening when Friday's night session begins trading. Stochastics and the RSI are bullish signaling sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Today's close above the reaction high crossing at 1601.40 confirms that a short term low has been posted. If August extends today's rally, April's high crossing at 1674.30 is the next upside target. If August renews the decline off February's high, the 75% retracement level of the 2010-2011 rally crossing at 1461.30 is the next downside target. First resistance is today's high crossing at 1632.00. Second resistance is April's high crossing at 1674.30. First support is the reaction low crossing at 1529.30. Second support is the 75% retracement level of the 2010-2011 rally crossing at 1461.30.

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Friday, June 1, 2012

New Video: Detailed Commodities Analysis From Chris Vermeulen

Chris V. just completed a detailed video analysis of the U.S. dollar, gold, gold miners, silver, bonds, crude oil, natural gas, and the SP500 which is very timely and will help you navigate this market today and next week.

Just Click Here to watch todays Video!


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Crude Oil Falls to Eight Month Low on Unemployment Rates

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Crude fell to the lowest level in almost eight months as worsening employment rates in the U.S. and the euro area signaled fuel demand may tumble. Oil dropped as much as 4.6 percent after the Labor Department said American employers added the smallest number of workers in a year in May. The jobless rate in the 17 countries that use the euro reached the highest level on record, the European Union’s statistics office in Luxembourg reported.

“You need a word stronger than terrible for the jobs report,” said Stephen Schork, president of the Schork Group Inc. in Villanova, Pennsylvania. “Everything is driven by the lousy economic data.” Crude futures for July delivery declined $2.33, or 2.7 percent, to $84.20 a barrel at 9:39 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange after falling to $82.56, the lowest intraday level since Oct. 7. Prices are down 23 percent from this year’s settlement high of $109.77 on Feb. 24.

Brent for July settlement tumbled $2.15, or 2.1 percent, to $99.72 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London, falling below $100 for the first time since October.

U.S. payrolls climbed by 69,000, less than the most pessimistic estimate in a Bloomberg survey in which responses ranged from increases of 75,000 to 195,000. The jobless rate rose to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent. It was forecast to hold at 8.1 percent.

Unemployment has exceeded 8 percent since February 2009, the longest such stretch since monthly records began in 1948.....Read the entire Bloomberg article.


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Thursday, May 31, 2012

King Dollar Dominates Crude Oil and Gold....Again!

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Crude oil closed lower on Thursday as it extends the decline off March's high. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening when Friday's night session begins. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold but remain neutral to bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this month's decline, the 75% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 85.69 is the next downside target. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 93.86 are needed to confirm that a low has been posted. First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 90.60. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 93.86. First support is today's low crossing at 85.86. Second support is the 75% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 85.69.

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Natural gas closed slightly higher due to short covering on Thursday as it consolidated some of this week's decline. The mid range close sets the stage for a steady opening on Friday. Stochastics and the RSI are bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this week's decline, the reaction low crossing at 2.338 is the next downside target. If July renews the rally off April's low, February's high crossing at 3.104 is the next upside target. First resistance is the reaction high crossing at 2.838. Second resistance is February's high crossing at 3.104. First support is today's low crossing at 2.377. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 2.338.

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Gold closed lower on Thursday as it extended the trading range of the past two weeks. The mid range close sets the stage for a steady opening when Friday's night session begins trading. Stochastics and the RSI are bullish signaling sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Closes above the reaction high crossing at 1601.40 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted. If August renews the decline off February's high, the 75% retracement level of the 2010-2011 rally crossing at 1461.30 is the next downside target. First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1583.90. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 1601.40. First support is the reaction low crossing at 1529.30. Second support is the 75% retracement level of the 2010-2011 rally crossing at 1461.30.

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OPEC Spare Capacity in the First Quarter of 2012 at Lowest Level Since 2008

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that global spare crude oil production capacity averaged about 2.4 million barrels per day (bbl/d) during the first quarter of 2012, down about 1.3 million bbl/d from the same period in 2011 (see chart below). The world's spare crude oil production capacity is held by member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Spare capacity can serve as a buffer against oil market disruptions, and it gives OPEC additional political and economic influence in world markets. There is little or no spare capacity outside of the OPEC member countries.

graph of Quarterly OPEC spare crude oil capacity and WTI spot prices, as described in the article text

Spare crude oil production capacity is now less than 3% of total world crude oil consumption—the lowest proportion since the fourth quarter of 2008—based on EIA estimates.

Spare crude oil production capacity is an important indicator of producers' ability to respond to potential disruptions; consequently, low spare oil production capacity tends to be associated with high oil prices and high oil price volatility. Similarly, rising spare capacity tends to be associated with falling oil prices and reduced volatility. However, spare capacity must also be considered in the context of a number of other market factors that can drive crude oil prices, such as global supply, demand, and inventory levels.

EIA defines spare crude oil production capacity as potential oil production that could be brought online within 30 days and sustained for at least 90 days, consistent with sound business practices. This does not include oil production increases that could not be sustained without degrading the future production capacity of a field.


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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Crude Oil Closes Below 62% Retracement Causing Severe Chart Damage

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Crude oil closed lower on Wednesday and below the 62% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 90.26 as it renewed the decline off March's high. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening when Thursday's night session begins. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold but remain neutral to bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this month's decline, the 75% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 85.69 is the next downside target. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 94.79 are needed to confirm that a low has been posted. First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 91.22. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 94.79. First support is today's low crossing at 87.39. Second support is the 75% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 85.69.

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Natural gas closed lower on Wednesday as it extended yesterday's breakout below the 20 day moving average crossing at 2.576. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Thursday. Stochastics and the RSI have turned bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this week's decline, the reaction low crossing at 2.338 is the next downside target. If July renews the rally off April's low, February's high crossing at 3.104 is the next upside target. First resistance is the reaction high crossing at 2.838. Second resistance is February's high crossing at 3.104. First support is today's low crossing at 2.393. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 2.338.

6 Things Successful Traders Have in Common

Gold closed higher due to short covering on Wednesday. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening when Thursday's night session begins trading. Stochastics and the RSI are neutral to bullish signaling sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 1591.30 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted. If June renews the decline off February's high, the 38% retracement level of the 2008-2011 rally crossing at 1487.50 is the next downside target. First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1586.30. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 1599.00. First support is the reaction low crossing at 1526.70. Second support is the 38% retracement level of the 2008-2011 rally crossing at 1487.50.

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Let's Compare Notes....ONG Crude Oil Daily Technical Outlook

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If you are a regular reader here you know we like to include trade ideas and opinions from many different sources. Here's is the "Crude Oil Daily Technical Outlook" from the staff at ONG. They really take the emotion out of trading and stick to the facts. And the fact is, the bulls are in trouble here.

Crude oil's decline resumed by taking out 89.28 temporary low and reaches as low as 87.75 so far. 61.8% retracement of 74.95 to 100.55 at 88.55 is broken firmly, suggesting downside momentum is building up again. Deeper decline should be seen to 80 psychological level and then 74.95 support. On the upside, break of 92.21 resistance is needed to signal short term bottoming. Otherwise, near term outlook will remain bearish even in case of recovery.

In the bigger picture, price actions from 114.84 are developing into a three wave consolidation pattern. And, the third leg should have already started at 110.55. Deeper fall should eventually be seen to 74.95 low and possibly below. Though, we'd likely see strong support from 64.23 cluster level, 61.8% retracement of 33.20 to 114.83 at 64.38 and bring another medium term rise. Hence we'll look for reversal signal below 74.95.

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


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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Natural Gas Falls Below 20 Day Moving Average....Gold and Oil Close Lower

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Crude oil [July contract] closed lower on Tuesday but remains above the 62% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 90.26. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening when Wednesday's night session begins. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold but remain neutral to bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends this month's decline, the 75% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 85.69 is the next downside target. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 95.74 are needed to confirm that a low has been posted. First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 91.91. Second resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 95.74. First support is last Wednesday's low crossing at 89.28. Second support is the 75% retracement level of the 2011-2012 rally crossing at 85.69.

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Natural gas [now the July contract] closed lower on Tuesday and below the 20 day moving average crossing at 2.578 confirming that a short term top has been posted. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI are turning bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If July extends today's decline, the reaction low crossing at 2.338 is the next downside target. If July renews the rally off April's low, February's high crossing at 3.104 is the next upside target. First resistance is the reaction high crossing at 2.838. Second resistance is February's high crossing at 3.104. First support is today's low crossing at 2.466. Second support is the reaction low crossing at 2.338.

Today’s Stock Market Club Trading Triangles

Gold closed [still the June contract] lower on Tuesday. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening when Wednesday's night session begins trading. Stochastics and the RSI are neutral to bearish signaling sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If June renews the decline off February's high, the 38% retracement level of the 2008-2011 rally crossing at 1487.50 is the next downside target. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 1591.30 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted. First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1591.30. Second resistance is this month's high crossing at 1672.30. First support is the reaction low crossing at 1526.70. Second support is the 38% retracement level of the 2008-2011 rally crossing at 1487.50.

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