WTI Price Forecast: Crude challenges 50-day SMA as US sanctions spark fresh rally
- WTI extends its rebound for the third consecutive day, lifted by renewed supply concerns following the US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil.
- WTI hovers near a key resistance area at $61.50-$61.70, coinciding with the 50-day SMA and former support-turned-resistance.
- Momentum turns constructive, as RSI rebounds from oversold levels and ADX points to a strengthening short-term trend.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) surges on Thursday, extending its rally for the third consecutive day after the United States (US) imposes sanctions on Russian energy majors Rosneft and Lukoil, stoking supply concerns.
At the time of writing, WTI trades near $61.66, up nearly 4.0%, recovering strongly after sliding to five-month lows earlier this week.
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From a technical perspective, the latest leg higher has shifted the near-term outlook from bearish to neutral-bullish, as prices challenge a key resistance zone around $61.50–$61.70, where the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) aligns with prior horizontal support that has turned into resistance.
The zone is currently capping the upside, but a decisive daily close above this barrier would confirm buyers back in control, paving the way toward the 100-day SMA near $64.20 as the next key resistance level.
On the downside, immediate support is seen at Thursday’s low near $59.60, followed by $57.00 and the May swing low around $55.00.
Momentum indicators have turned constructive. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits at 54.6, rebounding from near-oversold territory, signaling improving bullish momentum. Meanwhile, the Average Directional Index (ADX) at 27.4 suggests a strengthening trend but not yet a fully established uptrend.
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.
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