Crude Oil finds late bump but still sheds weight on Tuesday as WTI grapples with $78
Source Fxstreet
- WTI fell back into familiar lows on Tuesday before a late-day jump.
- API barrel counts fell back further than expected.
- Broad-market sentiment is struggling under the weight of higher-for-longer Fed rates.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Crude Oil fell to $77.30 on Tuesday as market sentiment regarding Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cut expectations begins to crumble, but a late-day Crude Oil supply update from the American Petroleum Institute (API) helped to bolster barrel bids.
According to barrel counts from the API, Weekly Crude Oil Stocks for the week ended May 10 fell much more than expected. US Crude Oil Stocks tracked by the API recorded a -3.104 million barrel drawdown, well below the forecast -1.35 million barrel decline and entirely eating away the previous week’s 509K barrel gain.
Crude Oil prices have been in a slump recently as it looks increasingly likely the ongoing Israel-Palestinian Hamas conflict is not going to spill over to neighboring countries and pose a threat to global Crude Oil production and supply. Further weighing on Crude Oil bids is US inflation, which continues to print higher than expected and keeping the Fed’s hands tied when it comes to interest rate cuts, hobbling broad-market risk appetite as investors look for signs the Fed could cut rates sooner rather than later.
US Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figures are due on Wednesday and threaten to destabilize intraday market volatility if inflation continues to run hotter than market forecasts can adapt to.
WTI technical outlook
US Crude Oil trades within a near-term demand zone between $78.00 and $77.00. A bullish extension to the topside will need to overcome the last major swing high near $79.60, while a bearish pierce of technical prices near $77.00 will threaten an extended run into prices set in March.
WTI hourly chart
WTI daily chart
Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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Bitcoin briefly loses 2025 gains as crypto plunges over the weekend.Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline this weekend, briefly erasing its 2025 gains and dipping below its year-opening value of $93,507. The cryptocurrency fell to a low of $93,029 on Sunday, representing a 25% drop from its all-time high in October. Although it has rebounded slightly to around $94,209, the pressures on the market remain significant.
The downturn occurred despite the reopening of the U.S. government on Thursday, which many had hoped would provide essential support for crypto markets. This year initially appeared promising for cryptocurrencies, particularly after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has established the most pro-crypto administration thus far. However, ongoing political tensions—including Trump's tariff strategies and the recent government shutdown, lasting a historic 43 days—have contributed to several rapid price pullbacks for Bitcoin throughout the year.
Market dynamics are also being influenced by Bitcoin whales—investors holding large amounts of Bitcoin—who have been offloading portions of their assets, consequently stalling price rallies even as positive regulatory developments emerge. Despite these sell-offs, analysts from Glassnode argue that this behavior aligns with typical patterns seen among long-term investors during the concluding stages of bull markets, suggesting it is not indicative of a mass exodus.
Notably, Bitcoin is not alone in its struggles, as Ethereum and Solana have also recorded declines of 7.95% and 28.3%, respectively, since the start of the year, while numerous altcoins have faced even steeper losses.
Looking ahead, questions linger regarding the viability of the four-year cycle thesis, particularly given the increasing institutional support and regulatory frameworks now in place in the crypto landscape. Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise, remains optimistic, suggesting a potential Bitcoin resurgence in 2026 driven by the “debasement trade” thesis and a broader trend toward increased adoption of stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance. Hougan emphasized the soundness of the underlying fundamentals, pointing to a positive outlook for the sector in the longer term.
Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline this weekend, briefly erasing its 2025 gains and dipping below its year-opening value of $93,507. The cryptocurrency fell to a low of $93,029 on Sunday, representing a 25% drop from its all-time high in October. Although it has rebounded slightly to around $94,209, the pressures on the market remain significant.
The downturn occurred despite the reopening of the U.S. government on Thursday, which many had hoped would provide essential support for crypto markets. This year initially appeared promising for cryptocurrencies, particularly after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has established the most pro-crypto administration thus far. However, ongoing political tensions—including Trump's tariff strategies and the recent government shutdown, lasting a historic 43 days—have contributed to several rapid price pullbacks for Bitcoin throughout the year.
Market dynamics are also being influenced by Bitcoin whales—investors holding large amounts of Bitcoin—who have been offloading portions of their assets, consequently stalling price rallies even as positive regulatory developments emerge. Despite these sell-offs, analysts from Glassnode argue that this behavior aligns with typical patterns seen among long-term investors during the concluding stages of bull markets, suggesting it is not indicative of a mass exodus.
Notably, Bitcoin is not alone in its struggles, as Ethereum and Solana have also recorded declines of 7.95% and 28.3%, respectively, since the start of the year, while numerous altcoins have faced even steeper losses.
Looking ahead, questions linger regarding the viability of the four-year cycle thesis, particularly given the increasing institutional support and regulatory frameworks now in place in the crypto landscape. Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise, remains optimistic, suggesting a potential Bitcoin resurgence in 2026 driven by the “debasement trade” thesis and a broader trend toward increased adoption of stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance. Hougan emphasized the soundness of the underlying fundamentals, pointing to a positive outlook for the sector in the longer term.
Gold price (XAU/USD) extends the decline to around $4,030 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The precious metal edges lower as traders dialed back expectations of a US interest rate cut next month.
Ethereum is trading near $3,150 and just 8% above a key $2,895 long-term holders’ cost basis, with on-chain flows, macro uncertainty and support around $3,000–$2,800 all shaping what comes next for ETH.
