Energy Price Outlook Oil prices may fall slightly in the near-term, as pressure is offered by technical factors and the lack of progress in fiscal cliff negotiations. Background pressure will come from next week’s OPEC meeting where quotas are expected to be left unchanged, and from the growing amount of U.S. oil production. These could take WTI down toward the $85.00/bbl level through year-end unless a fix to the
Oil prices are likely to hold within their relatively sideways direction in the near-term, as support from a weaker dollar is countered by uncertainty over the fiscal cliff. WTI had a nice bounce early in the session yesterday but fell back to close near the day’s low
Daily Energy Report – The selloff in oil prices yesterday almost fully unwound the rally made on Monday as the buildup of fear subsided.
Oil prices have held within a roughly $2.50/bbl trading range in the past seven days since the initial post-election $4.27/bbl washout on Nov 7th. While the Israel/Gaza conflict has been supportive for the market, it has only been a factor in the last two days of last week.
Oil prices may continue to fall in the near-term, with WTI potentially reaching $80.00 over the next few weeks. December WTI will expire today, and could lead to a similarly lopsided trade as yesterday’s expiration of December Brent.
A mid-morning attack by Israel of a Hamas leader yesterday sent the oil market higher, but unless the tensions escalate in the near-term, we would anticipate prices to continue moving lower
Look for the slow drift lower to continue in the near-term, as worries about the health of the economy and the fiscal cliff dominate. Stocks sold off yesterday on various corporate and European news items, but closed near the bottom of last week’s trading range as well as close to a new four-month low.
Daily Energy Report – The slow drift lower in oil prices should continue in the near-term, as worries grow over the fiscal cliff and the slow rate of economic growth. WTI could fall toward $80.00/bbl over the next few weeks as fiscal cliff negotiations appear likely to continue through the end of the year, U.S. production continues to grow, U.S. inventories remain elevated, and as problems in Europe remain in place
Energy Price Outlook After a sobering week last week, oil prices are expected to be under pressure again in this week’s trade and potentially fall toward $80/bbl in WTI over the next few weeks. The dominant factors should be increased prospects for slow growth in the U.S., uncertainty over the fiscal cliff, events in Europe including Sunday’s vote in Greece, and OPEC’s cut in demand estimates on Friday. The
Today’s session will likely be muted again by the closure of trading pits in New York, but we expect moderate pressure to remain in place. The market may be setting up for weakness through tomorrow, when many hedge funds are expected to close their books for the year.
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