West Texas Intermediate (WTI) – the benchmark US Crude Oil price – extends its sideways consolidative price moves for the fourth straight day and trades around the $79.00 mark through the first half of the European session on Friday.
Against the backdrop of this week’s breakout above the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level of the April-July fall and the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) on the 4-hour chart, the range-bound price action might be categorized as a bullish consolidation phase. Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is around 59, and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) (12, 26, 9) has stabilized in negative territory.
Momentum indicators together hint at an extension of the consolidative phase rather than aggressive buying. The downside, however, seems cushioned amid a further escalation of tensions between the US and Iran. Furthermore, concerns about supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz lend support to crude oil prices. This, in turn, favors bulls and suggests that the path of least resistance for the commodity is to the upside.
Some follow-through buying and acceptance above the $80.00 psychological mark will reaffirm the constructive outlook and lift the black liquid to the 38.2% Fibo. retracement at $82.48. This is followed by a more substantial barrier at the 50.0% level near $87.25. Further up, the 61.8% retracement at $92.01 and the 78.6% level at $98.79 mark progressively stronger supply zones if the buying interest sustains and the rally extends.
On the downside, immediate support is seen at the 200-period SMA at $77.30, followed by the 23.6% retracement at $76.59, where a break would weaken the current bullish structure and open the door to a deeper pullback within the broader range.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
WTI 4-hour chart
WTI Oil FAQs
WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.
Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.
The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.
