Crude Oil trades in the red and loses around 1% on Friday. However, it is in a continuous tight range with traders on the sidelines awaiting the outcome of the upcoming Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) meeting on its output policy, which has been delayed to next Thursday. Markets have already priced in a delay in production normalization to the first quarter of 2025. (DXY), which measures the performance of the US Dollar (USD) against a basket of currencies, eases further on Friday with only a handful of US market participants returning to markets after Thanksgiving Thursday. The weakening of the US Dollar comes with the narrowing of the yield gap between the US and Europe due to French yields spiking higher on political uncertainty. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has until Monday to propose a severely reduced budget, or the far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen threatens to topple the French government if demands are unmet. At the time of writing, Crude Oil (WTI) trades at $68.18 and Brent Crude at $72.03. Oil news and market movers: What to expect from OPEC+
Oil Technical Analysis: The unexpected needs to happenCrude Oil prices are still dragging, facing selling pressure and the risk of more downsides, with a constant reminder in articles and media outlets that there is a supply glut still at hand in the Oil landscape. Markets are already pricing in a simple delay of the inevitable, that supply normalization will happen at one point. The only game-changer that could push Oil prices higher would be when OPEC+ considers deepening production cuts and/or extending them for even a year. On the upside, the pivotal level at $71.46 and the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $72.13 are the two main resistances. The 200-day SMA at $76.22 is still far off, although it could be tested if tensions intensify further. In its rally towards that 200-day SMA, the pivotal level at $75.27 could still slow down any upticks. On the other side, traders need to look towards $67.12 – a level that held the price in May and June 2023 – to find the first support. In case that breaks, the 2024 year-to-date low emerges at $64.75, followed by $64.38, the low from 2023.(Click on image to enlarge)More By This Author:Crude Oil Steady After Biden Calls Gaza Ceasefire Permanent Crude Oil Ticks Up Rumors Picking Up On OPEC+ Discussions US Dollar Chokeholds Markets After Trump Hits Neighboring Countries With Surprise Tariffs
