Monday, August 31, 2009

UNG Just Get's More and More Interesting

I have received some "entertaining" emails and comments from fellow traders about the fact that even with all of the negative and controversial news surrounding UNG I do maintain a small swing position in UNG. After 20 years of this I have just developed a habit for making sure I am in the most "news worthy" trades, some how, good or bad.

I just found this in my in box from Phil's Stock World.....

Shares of the natural gas exchange traded fund have slipped 4.4% lower today to reach a 5 year low of $10.64. Despite the present weakness in UNG, one investor was seen making far term bullish bets on the fund by targeting the April 2010 contract. It appears that the trader established a bullish reversal play by shedding 3,000 puts at the April 10 strike for 1.85 apiece in order to purchase 3,000 calls at the higher April 11 strike for 1.82 each. The trader receives a net credit of 3 pennies per contract and has positioned himself to add to his gains if shares rally higher than $11.00 by expiration. The short put position indicates that the investor is happy to have shares put to him at an effective price of $8.15 in the event that the put options land in the money by expiration. Shares need only remain higher than $10.00 for this individual to retain the 3 cent credit indefinitely.

This will be an amazing trade, for someone, somehow, someway.

Crude Oil Falls the Most in a Month as Global Equities Slump


Crude oil prices fell the most in a month as Chinese equities led a global slump on concern a slowdown in lending may derail an economic recovery in the world’s second largest energy consuming country. Oil futures declined for the first time in three days after the Shanghai Composite Index, China’s benchmark, tumbled 6.7 percent on a report that the nation’s banks cut lending. U.S., Asian and European stocks followed the Chinese market lower. “All of what we are seeing today can be blamed on the Chinese stock-market selloff,” said Tom Bentz, a senior energy analyst at BNP Paribas Commodity Futures Inc. in New York. “The Chinese markets have helped support commodities. Price rises have been based on expectations of increased economic growth and demand in China”.....Read Complete Article

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Oil Drops as Stockpile Concerns Cap Gains on Economic Optimism


Crude oil fell for the first day in three in New York as concern over above-average distillate fuel stockpiles capped a rally built on speculation that demand will increase as the global economy recovers. U.S. distillate inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, rose to a four week high of 162.4 million barrels last week, the Energy Department said Aug. 26. That’s near the highest level since 1983. Separately, the United Arab Emirates’ state owned company eased cuts on crude oil supply for the first time in seven months, a sign OPEC members may be overshooting their output targets. “As we get into the autumn season we’ll focus on distillate fuels and right now inventories are at very high levels and then we have the floating storage off Europe”.....Complete article

Crude Oil Will Be Bounded Between 65-75 In Coming Months


Early last week, worries on credit tightening by the Chinese Government triggered selloffs in risky assets. In the commodity universe, the base metal complex got the biggest hit as the government's massive stimulus plan has encouraged expansion in various industries. Should the government tighten lending, many projects may have to be postponed or cancelled.However, later in the week, strong macro economic data boosted sentiment again and improved market sentiment helped commodities pared some of the losses made earlier. However, the Jefferies/Reuters CRB Index still lost -0.6% over the week. Crude oil price rose for the second consecutive day last Friday as encouraging economic data.....Read Complete Article

Saturday, August 29, 2009

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

Friday, August 28, 2009

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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Thursday, August 27, 2009

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

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

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

Imagine Not Having Access to Any Financial News

Imagine not having access to any financial news stories. The only information you have about the market is the market itself.

Would you be a better trader or a less successful trader?

I think you would be a better trader. I have often said that the market is the best news provider in the world. It’s up to the minute and it reflects both domestic and international issues. The success of our “Trade Triangle” technology is based upon market action.

In our new short video, we’ll take a big look at the S&P 500 market and where we expect it will head in the months to come.

We all need to be prepared for what lies ahead, and this video is worth watching for that very reason.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Oil Post Key Reversal Day, Lower Prices Possible Near Term


Crude oil posted a key reversal down on Tuesday and closed below the 20 day moving average crossing at 71.85 confirming that a double top with June's high as been posted. Stochastics and the RSI are diverging and are turning neutral signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Wednesday.

Closes below last Monday's low crossing at 67.42 would confirm that a short term top has been posted. If October extends this month's rally, June's high crossing at 75.27 is the next upside target.

First resistance is today's high crossing at 75.00
Second resistance is June's high crossing at 75.27

First support is today's low crossing at 71.11
Second support is last Monday's low crossing at 67.42

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The U.S. Dollar closed slightly lower on Tuesday as it consolidates below the 20 day moving average crossing at 78.62. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI remain bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term.

If September renews last week's decline, the reaction low crossing at 77.52 is the next downside target. Closes above last Monday's high crossing at 79.36 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted.

First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 78.66
Second resistance is last Monday's high crossing at 79.69

First support is last Friday's low crossing at 77.81
Second resistance is the reaction low crossing at 77.52

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Natural gas closed lower on Tuesday. The mid-range close sets the stage for a steady opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold but are neutral to bullish hinting that a short term low might be in or is near. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 3.429 would confirm that a short term low has been posted.

If September extends this month's decline, monthly support crossing at 2.640 is the next downside target.

First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 3.10
Second resistance is broken support crossing at 3.37

First support is Monday's low crossing at 2.73
Second support is monthly support crossing at 2.64

Bloomberg Technical Analysis: Oil Risks Drop to $71.50 If Rally Stalls


Crude oil risks falling toward $71.50 a barrel if prices are unable to surpass a “strengthening level” near $75 in the coming days, according to Societe Generale. Oil has the potential to rise as high as $78 a barrel only if it can push past a $74.65 to $75.25 band, said Stephanie Aymes, a London based commodity technical analyst for the bank. A failure to break this resistance may trigger the unwinding of gains made over the past week. Prices will “further rise but mind $74.65/$75.25,” she said in a report yesterday. “Under $71.50 the correction resumes.” Oil climbed to a 10 month high above $74 a barrel yesterday on speculation the global economy is recovering from recession.....Complete Story

Crude Oil Lower on Overnight Profit Taking


Crude oil was lower overnight due to profit taking as it consolidates some of last week's rally. Stochastics and the RSI are diverging but remain bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

If October extends last week's rally, June's high crossing at 75.27 is the next upside target. Closes below last Monday's low crossing at 67.42 would confirm that a top has been posted.

Tuesday's pivot point, our line in the sand is 74.13. The weekly pivot point is 71.85.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at 74.81
Second resistance is June's high crossing at 75.27

First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 72.29
Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at 71.96

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The U.S. Dollar was steady to slightly lower overnight. Stochastics and the RSI remain bearish signaling that sideways to lower prices are possible near term. If September extends last week's decline, the reaction low crossing at 77.52 is the next downside target. Closes below the reaction low crossing at 77.52 would renew this summer's decline.

First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 78.66
Second resistance is last Monday's high crossing at 79.69

First support is last Friday's low crossing at 77.81
Second support is this month's low crossing at 77.52

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Natural gas was steady to lower overnight as it consolidates some of Monday's short covering rally. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold and are turning bullish hinting that a short term low might be in or is near. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 3.432 are needed to confirm that a short term low has been posted.

If September extends this month's decline, weekly support crossing at 2.640 is the next downside target.

Natural gas daily pivot point for Tuesday is 2.88, the weekly is 2.95

First resistance is the 10 day moving average crossing at 3.10
Second resistance is broken trading range support crossing at 3.37

First support is Monday's low crossing at 2.73
Second support is weekly support crossing at 2.64

Monday, August 24, 2009

Oil Drops From 10 Month High as Stocks Fall, Dollar Strengthens


Crude oil dropped from a 10 month high as concerns that China may tighten lending and more U.S. loans may default pushed equities lower and strengthened the dollar, reducing the investment appeal of commodities. Oil declined as investors sought so called safe haven assets such as the dollar over commodities. Oil also fell in tandem with equities on concern that the Chinese government would curb new loans and SunTrust Banks Inc. said that U.S. lenders face more credit losses and commercial real estate may falter through 2010. “Equity and oil markets have been very closely correlated in the last six months,” said Ben Westmore, an energy and minerals economist at National Australia Bank Ltd. in Melbourne.....Complete Story

Transocean Maintains Strength In Numbers


The world's largest offshore drilling contractor with 141 jackups, semisubmersibles and drillships, Transocean has been able to maintain its strength through offshore innovation and acquisitions. Merging with Global Santa Fe in 2007 to cement its place as the world's largest offshore drilling fleet, Transocean has consistently set its sights on pushing the boundaries of technology. In fact, Transocean owned and operated the world's first ever jackup rig in 1954. Through the decades, the company has continued to achieve a number of industry firsts, and that spirit of innovation has helped to turn Transocean into an industry leader.....Complete Story
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