WTI Crude Oil Forecast
January WTI crude oil settled below $56.94, the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $58.14 to $55.0 and the smaller than (0.618) projection of the wave $55.0 – 56.93 – 55.75. However, this afternoon’s late move above $56.94 indicates the move up should challenge the equal to (1.00) projection at $57.7 tomorrow. This is the last major target protecting against a new high. A close above $57.7 would call for $58.4 and possibly $58.9, the intermediate (1.382) and larger than (1.618) projections for the wave up from $55.0.
The move up will probably remain choppy and a good test of support will probably take place once $57.7 is met. For now, initial support is $56.4 and key support is $56.9, the 38 and 62 percent retracements of the move up from $55.0 to $57.22, respectively. Settling below $56.9 would shift near-term odds back in favor of $55.2, the smaller than target of the wave $58.14 – 55.0 – 57.22. This wave then connects to $54.1 as the equal to target.
Brent Crude Oil Forecast
Brent’s move up has been more hesitant than WTI’s this week and is still struggling to overcome the $62.92 swing high. However, today’s settle above the smaller than (0.618) projection of the wave $61.08 – 62.92 – 61.44 indicates Brent should rise to at least $63.3 tomorrow. This is the equal to (1.00) target and the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $64.65 to $61.08. The importance of targets at this level indicate there is a good chance that a pullback will take place once $63.3 is met.
Initial support is $62.0 and key support is $61.4. A close below $61.4 would take out the wave up from $61.08 that projects to target at $63.3 and higher and would shift odds back in favor of a continued decline toward $60.8 and lower.
Natural Gas Forecast
December natural gas hasn’t filled the November 6 gap up from $2.998 yet, but January, February, and March filled their respective gaps today. There is a tremendous amount of support around the bottom of each contract’s gap. Therefore, the move down may stall tomorrow. For December specifically, this area has become $2.99 +/- $0.02.
That said, aside from the confluence of targets around $2.99, the challenge right now is that there are no reversal patterns, only a few intraday divergence setups, that indicate the move down could stall. Therefore, until these signals are confirmed and initial resistance is overcome, near-term odds will favor a continued grind lower.
Tomorrow, look for a test of $2.99, a close below which would open the way for key lower support at $2.92. This is the next most confluent target below $2.99 and is most importantly the smaller than (0.618) target of the wave $3.353 – 2.847 – 3.231. The equal to target for this wave is $2.73, which means a close below $2.92 would put odds in favor of falling toward $2.73 during the next few weeks.
Should the bottom of December’s gap at $2.998 continue to hold on a closing basis, there is still a chance for a recovery. Initial resistance is $3.06 followed by $3.10. Key resistance is $3.15. This is in line with the $3.153 swing high, the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $3.231, and the 100-day moving average. At this point, December will have to settle above $3.153 to feel confident that this most recent move down is over.
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