|

WTI weaker, extends the drop below 39.00

  • Prices of the WTI return to the sub-$39.00 area on Thursday.
  • Demand fears stemming from the pandemic keep weighing on prices.
  • US oil rig count comes up next on Friday.

Prices of the WTI extends the erratic performance so far this week and now recede to the sub-$39.00 region per barrel.

WTI hurts by weak demand prospects

Crude oil prices fade Wednesday’s uptick and are back to the area below the key $40.00 mark per barrel on Thursday, as traders continue to gauge the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the demand for the commodity.

Prices of the West Texas Intermediate edge lower in the second half of the week despite the EIA reported a larger-than-expected drop in US crude oil supplies. In fact, the agency said inventories went down by almost 2 million barrels on the week ended on September 25, prolonging the downtrend for the third straight session so far.

On Friday, Baker Hughes will close the weekly calendar after it publishes its report on the US drilling activity.

WTI significant levels

At the moment the barrel of WTI is losing 2.45% at $38.95 and a break below $38.44 (weekly low Sep.29) would aim for $36.15 (monthly low Sep.8) and then $31.16 (low May 28). On the upside, the next hurdle is located at  $41.46 (weekly high Sep.18) seconded by $43.75 (monthly high Aug.26) and finally $48.64 (monthly high Mar.3).

Author

Pablo Piovano

Born and bred in Argentina, Pablo has been carrying on with his passion for FX markets and trading since his first college years.

More from Pablo Piovano
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD remains offered; supported by 0.7100

AUD/USD adds to Monday’s retracement, although it manages well to keep the trade above the 0.7100 yardstick ahead of the opening bell in Asia. Once again, the softer tone in spot follows decent gains in the Greenback amid rising bets for a Fed rate hike on Wednesday.

USD/JPY extends gains toward 155.00 amid USD resurgence

USD/JPY keeps pushing higher toward 155.00 early Tuesday, looking for more upside, as traders await the FOMC and BoJ meetings this week. Meanwhile, Fed rate-hike bets and oil-driven inflation risks keep US bond yields near multi-year highs, supporting the US Dollar and the pair. That said, a more hawkish repricing of the BoJ normalization path might continue to underpin the Japanese Yen and could limit USD/JPY's upside. .

Gold set to fall toward $4,000 as Warsh faces a Fed rate-hike dilemma

As the Federal Reserve monetary policy announcement approaches and the Middle East war intensifies, the US Dollar resumes its advance. Gold price posted a tepid attempt to recover its shine in early August, but with renewed USD demand, the bright metal faltered miserably and is now closer to the $4,000 mark than the encouraging $4,700 peak from a month ago.


Bitcoin pulls back as valuation ceilings hold while XAU weakness persists
Bitcoin (BTC) corrects alongside the broader cryptocurrency market on Tuesday as selling persists ahead of the United States (US) Federal Reserve (Fed) monetary policy decision. Market participants expect the central bank to raise interest rates to 3.75%-4.00% on Wednesday, potentially weighing on risk assets.
How Japan became the World's Banker and why that era may be ending

Japan's ultra-low interest rates helped finance trillions of dollars in global investments for more than a decade, making the Japanese Yen one of the world’s cheapest sources of funding. With the Bank of Japan expected to tighten policy again this week, that advantage may be entering a new phase. While most major economies raised interest rates, Japan remained the world's outlier.

Venezuela’s 65-billion-barrel Oil deal could reshape America’s inflation fight
The United States (US) has secured unprecedented access to part of Venezuela’s vast Oil reserves. The timing is particularly significant as the war with Iran is disrupting Middle Eastern supplies, keeping energy prices elevated and reviving concerns about inflation.