Natural Gas Price Forecast – May 1, 2024

Tag: Price Forecasting

Natural Gas Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

June natural gas tested and held the lower threshold of a trading range between $1.91 and $2.14 again today. A rectangle pattern has formed, and prices are poised to break lower out of the pattern based upon today’s decline to $1.913. Wave projections at $1.92 have held on a closing basis, but prices settled below the smaller than (0.618) target of the most recent wave down from $2.14 today. This wave calls for a test of its $1.86 equal to (1.00) target. Closing below this will confirm a break lower and open the way for tests of confluent objectives at $1.84 and $1.78 in the coming days.

Nevertheless, this is still a somewhat tight call because holding the lower threshold of the rectangle warns that there is a reasonable chance for another test of resistance within the pattern. Should prices rise above $1.98 look for a test of key near-term resistance at $2.03. Closing above this would shift the near-term odds in favor of natural gas rising to challenge $2.10 and possibly the upper threshold of the rectangle at $2.14 again.

WTI Crude Oil Technical Analysis and Short-Term Forecast

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Crude Oil Forecast and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover WTI, Brent, RBOB Gasoline, Diesel, and spreads. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

WTI crude oil fell to challenge resilient support at the $81.0 target of a confirmed double top that formed around $86.9. The $81.0 target held again, and prices formed a wave up from $80.95 that warns a test of $82.8 might take place first. Even so, the move up will likely be a correction because the waves down from $86.97 and $85.64 have fulfilled their smaller than (0.618) targets. Waves that meet the smaller than target typically extend to at least the equal to (1.00) target, in this case, $79.7 for both waves. Closing below $81.0 will open the way for tests of $80.3 and the $79.7 objective within the next few days.

With that said, WTI crude oil’s pullback from $86.97 may form a bullish flat descending triangle. This is a continuation pattern, a break higher out of which would be confirmed by a close above key near-term resistance at $84.6. Should WTI crude oil overcome $82.8 look for a test of $83.3 and possibly $84.6. Settling above $84.6 would strongly suggest that the corrective pullback from $86.97 is complete and shift the odds in favor of WTI crude oil rising to $$85.1 and higher.

Gold Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Metals Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key COMEX precious metals futures contracts and LME Non-Ferrous (Base) metals, spot gold, the gold/silver ratio, and gold ETFs. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Gold rose to test the $2350 smaller than (0.618) target of the wave up from $2304.6 before pulling back again. This implies that the wave up from $2304.6 will test its $2366 equal to (1.00) target. However, the pullback from $2350.9 took out the 62 percent retracement of the rise from $2324.8. Therefore, odds lean in favor of taking out the $2324.8 swing low to challenge the 62 percent retracement of the rise from $2304.6 at $2322. This will invalidate the wave up from $2304.6 that projects to $2366 and higher. This will also call for a test of $2301 and then the $2283 intermediate (1.382) target of the wave down from $2448.8.

Nevertheless, while the $2324.8 swing low holds there is still a reasonable chance for a test of $2366. Closing above this will call for key resistance and larger than (1.618) target of the wave up from $2304.6 at $2400 to be challenged. The $2400 level is also the 62 percent retracement from $2448.8 and confirmation point of the bullish daily candlesticks that formed Tuesday and Wednesday. Settling above $2400 would imply that the corrective move down is complete, shifting the odds in favor of gold rising to $2433 and higher.

Natural Gas Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

June natural gas has been trading in a range between approximately $1.92 and $2.14 since mid-March. Prices tried to break higher out of the range on Tuesday but held the $2.14 equal to (1.00) target of the prior primary wave up from $1.907. Today’s pullback from $2.140 took out the smaller than (0.618) target of the wave down from $2.148 and the 62 percent retracement of the rise from $1.907. This was bearish for the outlook and calls for another test of the crucial $1.92 objective. Settling below $1.92 will call for a test of a minor target at $1.88 and then the next major objectives at $1.84 and $1.78 in the coming days.

Given the aggressive nature of today’s move down there is little technical evidence to call for the move down to stall before testing at least $1.92. However, should $1.92 continue to hold prices will likely continue to consolidate in the trading range. Should prices rise and overcome $2.03 look for a test of $2.07 and possibly key resistance and the smaller than (0.618) target of the new wave up from $1.907 at $2.11.

WTI Crude Oil Technical Analysis and Short-Term Forecast

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Crude Oil Forecast and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover WTI, Brent, RBOB Gasoline, Diesel, and spreads. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

June WTI crude oil retested the $81.0 target of a confirmed double top that formed around $86.9 today. This has been resilient support for the past few days and held on a closing basis again. The wave up from $80.7 extended and settled the day above its equal to (1.00) target and the 38 percent retracement of the decline from $86.97. WTI also settled just below the $83.5 completion point of bullish daily hammers and an inverted hammer that formed Thursday, Friday, and Monday. The wave up from $80.7 is now poised to overcome $83.5 to fulfill its $84.0 intermediate (1.382) target and possibly the $84.7 larger than (1.618) target. The $84.7 target is most important because it is also in line with the 62 percent retracement from $86.97 and the confirmation point of the bullish daily candlesticks. Settling above $84.7 will strongly imply that the corrective pullback from $86.97 is complete and that WTI crude oil will work its way to a new uptrend high in the coming days.

Today’s rise was bullish for the near-term outlook. However, while the $85.64 swing high holds the wave down from $86.97 still has potential to extend to its $79.7 equal to (1.00) target. This is because this wave took out its smaller than (0.618) target a few days ago. Should prices turn lower early tomorrow look for initial support at $82.4. Falling below this will call for $81.7 and possibly another attempt to take out key support at $81.0. Settling below $81.0 will clear the way for the $79.7 threshold to be fulfilled.

Gold Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Metals Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key COMEX precious metals futures contracts and LME Non-Ferrous (Base) metals, spot gold, the gold/silver ratio, and gold ETFs. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Gold has been trading in a small corrective range for the past few days. Last week’s late pullback from $2448.8 and the formation of weekly and daily shooting stars and daily weak bearish divergences warn that a reversal might still take place. However, prices are rising toward a key near-term target at $2419. Therefore, the pullback from $2448.8 will probably prove to be a short-lived correction. A move above $2407 will call for a test of $2419. Closing above $2419 will open the way for $2452, which then connects to $2473 and higher.

With that said, this is a tight call for the near term because given the bearish patterns and signals mentioned above there is still a reasonable chance for a test of key support at $2348. This is the smaller than (0.618) target of the wave down from $2448.8. Taking out $2381 will call for a test of $2365 and possibly $2348. Settling below $2348 will shift the near-term odds in favor of gold falling to $2306 and possibly lower.

Natural Gas Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Natural gas tested the $1.66 smaller than (0.618) target of the wave down from $2.152 again today. This target continues to hold on a closing basis, and there is now a small double bottom that has formed around this key objective. Even so, meeting the $1.66 objective is bearish for the outlook because most waves that fulfill their smaller than target eventually extend to the equal to (1.00) target, in this case, $1.48. Therefore, the outlook continues to lean bearish for the coming days. Closing below $1.66 will call for a highly confluent and important target at $1.62 that then connects to $1.58 and lower.

Nevertheless, this is still an area in which the move down may stall. Should prices rise above $1.74 look for a test of the $1.76 smaller than target of the wave up from $1.649. Settling above $1.76 would call for a test of $1.82, a close above which will confirm the double bottom and put the odds in favor of a more substantial test of resistance instead.

WTI Crude Oil Technical Analysis and Short-Term Forecast

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Crude Oil Forecast and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover WTI, Brent, RBOB Gasoline, Diesel, and spreads. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

WTI crude oil’s corrective move down accelerated today. Prices settled below the 20-day moving average, the 62 percent retracement of the rise from $80.3, and the $84.55 confirmation point of a double top that formed around $87.65. The daily Kase Trend indicator is now bearish and the 10-day DMI had a bearish crossover. The $82.56 equal to (1.00) target of the wave down from $87.67 held, so a test of resistance might occur first. Even so, today’s $84.0 midpoint is expected to hold because the move down should now fulfill the $81.5 target of the double top within the next few days. Settling below $81.5 will call for the $81.1 intermediate (1.382) target and possibly the $80.3 larger than (1.618) target of the wave down from $87.67 to be fulfilled.

The aggressive nature of today’s move down likely reflects a bearish shift in near-term sentiment. Nevertheless, the move down is still a correction and would have to take out the last major swing low of $80.3 to suggest further that a reversal is underway. Also, because $82.6 held on a closing basis there is a modest chance for a test of resistance first. As stated, today’s $84.0 midpoint is expected to hold. Overcoming this would call for a test of key near-term resistance and the 38 percent retracement of the decline from $87.67 at $84.5. This was major support that has now become resistance given $84.5 is also in line with the $84.55 confirmation point of the confirmed double top.

Gold Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Metals Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key COMEX precious metals futures contracts and LME Non-Ferrous (Base) metals, spot gold, the gold/silver ratio, and gold ETFs. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Gold rallied to settle above Wednesday’s open. The move up also overcame the $2378 equal to (1.00) target of the waves up from $2016.3 and $2337.1 as well as the intermediate (1.382) target of the wave up from $2343.1 and the 89 percent retracement of the decline from $2384.5 during post-settlement trading hours. Today’s rise implies that the corrective pullback from $2384.5 is complete. Tomorrow, look for a test of $2394. Settling above this will open the way for $2410 and then a test of the next major uptrend objective at $2446 in the coming days.

Because the $2384.5 swing high held, bearish daily divergences that were confirmed at that high are still intact. It is doubtful that $2384.5 will continue to hold. Even so, should prices turn lower and take out $2365 look for a test of $2354 and possibly key near-term support at $2335.

Natural Gas Technical Analysis and Near-Term Outlook

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Natural gas rose above the $1.92 target as expected today but stalled at $1.943 before it could reach the $1.95 smaller than (0.618) target of the wave up from $1.746. The move up is still poised to extend because the primary wave up from $1.686 still favors a test of its $1.97 equal to (1.00) target. Furthermore, all prior swing lows that formed during the move up from $1.686 have held so far. Overcoming the $1.93 smaller than target of the most recent wave up from $1.843 will call for a test of $1.95 and likely $1.97.

With that said, the move up has begun to show signs of weakness. Pseudo daily shooting stars that formed Tuesday and Wednesday along with the pullback from $1.943 suggest a test of $1.85 might take place first. This is the 38 percent retracement of the rise from $1.686. A normal correction will hold $1.85. Falling below $1.85 will warn that the move up is failing and call for an extended test of support where $1.78, the 62 percent retracement, is key. Settling below this would shift near-term odds in favor of a continued decline or at least a period of consolidation before prices try to rise again.