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Natural Gas and Oil Forecast: U.S. Crude Stocks Fall by 4.4M, NG Hits $2.18

By:
Arslan Ali
Updated: Jul 17, 2024, 10:06 GMT+00:00

Key Points:

  • Brent crude steadies near $83.30, reflecting concerns over China's slowing demand and U.S. stockpile drawdowns.
  • China's Q2 economic growth slowed to 4.7%, its weakest since early 2023, impacting oil prices.
  • U.S. crude inventories fell by 4.4 million barrels, supporting oil prices despite a stronger dollar.
Natural Gas and Oil Forecast: U.S. Crude Stocks Fall by 4.4M, NG Hits $2.18

In this article:

Market Overview

Oil prices remained steady on Wednesday, with Brent crude hovering near a one-month low of $83.30 hit on Tuesday. This stability comes as weakening demand growth in China contrasts with the expected decline in U.S. oil stockpiles.

Concerns over Chinese demand weigh on sentiment, but U.S. inventory drawdowns help limit the downside. China’s economic growth slowed to 4.7% in Q2, its weakest since early 2023.

Additionally, a stronger U.S. dollar has pressured oil prices, making it more expensive for non-dollar investors. U.S. crude inventories fell by 4.4 million barrels, significantly more than the expected drop, supporting oil prices.

Natural Gas Price Forecast

Natural Gas (NG) Price Chart
Natural Gas (NG) Price Chart

USOIL is currently trading at $80.63, reflecting a slight decline of 0.14%. The 2-hour chart highlights critical price levels, starting with a pivot point at $81.12. Immediate resistance is observed at $81.79, followed by additional resistance levels at $82.53 and $83.25.

On the downside, immediate support is noted at $80.12, with subsequent support levels at $79.48 and $78.86, which could act as buffers against sharp declines. From a technical perspective, the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) is $81.69, while the 200-day EMA stands at $81.73.

In conclusion, USOIL’s bearish stance remains solid as long as the price stays below the pivot point of $81.12. A break above this level could shift the market sentiment to bullish, targeting resistances at $81.79 and $82.53. However, if the price continues to trade below $81.12, the bearish trend will likely persist, with immediate support at $80.12 and further downside potential towards $79.48 and $78.86.

Brent Oil Price Forecast

Brent Price Chart
Brent Price Chart

UKOIL is trading at $83.60, down by 0.26%. On the 2-hour chart, the pivot point is at $84.08, which is crucial for determining the immediate market direction. Immediate resistance levels are identified at $84.61, $85.20, and $86.17. On the downside, immediate support is at $83.27, with further support at $82.55 and $81.78.

The technical indicators show the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $84.71 and the 200-day EMA at $84.99.

In conclusion, UKOIL’s outlook is bearish below the pivot point of $84.08. A break above this level could shift the bias to bullish, targeting higher resistance levels. Conversely, maintaining below $84.08 suggests continued downside potential.

About the Author

Arslan, a webinar speaker and derivatives analyst, has an MBA in Finance and MPhil in Behavioral Finance. He guides financial analysis, trading, and cryptocurrency forecasting. Expert in trading psychology and sentiment.

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