Brent crude oil (BNO, quote) ticked up as tension in Ukraine grew. The commodity traded at $107.50 at 6:20 GMT after reports that pro-Russian groups had seized government buildings in several eastern Ukrainian cities.
Brent crude oil fell below $106 to start the week as the Libyan government neared a deal with rebels to reopen several of its largest oilfields. The commodity traded at $105.83 at 6:15 GMT on Monday morning as investors braced for an influx of supply.
Easing geopolitical tension coupled with worrisome economic figures pushed Brent crude oil (BNO, quote) to a near five month low on Tuesday.
Brent crude oil (BNO, quote) traded at $108.29 at 5:45 GMT on Wednesday morning as worries about slipping global demand outweighed concern about the situation in Ukraine.
Brent crude oil lost its momentum on Tuesday morning after demand woes outweighed worries about the ongoing tension in Syria.
Brent crude oil fell below $109 to start the week on poor data from China, but supply worries helped underpin prices.
Brent crude oil (BNO,quote) gained momentum on Wednesday as growth in industrialized countries became more likely. The commodity traded at $107.10 at 6:30 GMT on Wednesday morning.
And so the bullish trade returns. The up-down-up-down pattern that has developed over the past week continued yesterday in WTI and cast a positive light on an otherwise neutral-appearing chart. Brent appears similar, but couldn’t get much of a rally going yesterday.
The deja vu trade appears likely to remain in tact in the near-term, as recently attained bullish momentum was undercut in yesterday’s trade. The resulting sideways trend will oscillate between moments of euphoria and doubt, which may essentially feel like a repeat of the decisive rallies and selloffs of the last few weeks which were believed to be the beginnings of new breakouts and breakdowns.
Oil prices may hold within a sideways trading direction this week, as the short-term rally contends with a building bearish divergence on the daily stochastics oscillator.
