MA(9): $59.57
MA(20): $61.43
MACD: -1.486
Signal: -1.0445
Days since crossover: 13
Value: 32.52
Category: NEUTRAL
Current: 203,866
Avg (20d): 262,948
Ratio: 0.78
%K: 14.11
%D: 7.77
ADX: 24.13
+DI: 11.18
-DI: 35.7
Value: -85.89
Upper: 66.23
Middle: 61.43
Lower: 56.63
| Category | Current | Last Week | Last Year | 3 Yr Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude Production (Thousand Barrels a Day) | 13636.0 | 13629.0 | 13400.0 | 12900.0 |
| Crude Imports (Thousand Barrels a Day) | 5525.0 | 6403.0 | 6239.0 | 5793.0 |
| Crude Exports (Thousand Barrels a Day) | 4466.0 | 3590.0 | 3794.0 | 4520.67 |
| Refinery Inputs (Thousand Barrels a Day) | 15130.0 | 16297.0 | 15590.0 | 15567.0 |
| Net Imports (Thousand Barrels a Day) | 1059.0 | 2813.0 | 2445.0 | 1272.33 |
| Commercial Crude Stocks (Thousand Barrels) | 423785.0 | 420261.0 | 422741.0 | 425885.0 |
| Crude & Products Total Stocks (Thousand Barrels) | 1696565.0 | 1694142.0 | 1641911.0 | 1628273.33 |
| Gasoline Stocks (Thousand Barrels) | 218826.0 | 219093.0 | 214898.0 | 215122.0 |
| Distillate Stocks (Thousand Barrels) | 117030.0 | 121559.0 | 118513.0 | 111646.33 |
Brent crude (DEC 25) settled at $61.29, change $+0.23. WTI crude (NOV 25) settled at $57.54, change $+0.08. The Brent-WTI spread is currently $3.75 (Brent premium of $3.75). The Brent-WTI spread reflects differences in global vs. U.S. supply/demand dynamics, geopolitics, and transportation costs.
The current OPEC market situation reflects a steady increase in crude oil prices, with the OPEC Reference Basket averaging $70.39/b in September. Global oil demand is projected to grow by 1.3 mb/d in 2025, while production from non-DoC countries is expected to rise, indicating a tightening supply-demand balance in the near term.
| Category | Value (mb/d) |
|---|---|
| World Production |
|
| World Demand |
|
| Non-DoC Production |
|
| DoC Production |
|
The current supply-demand balance indicates a slight surplus in the market, with total world demand at 105.14 mb/d and total production (including DoC and Non-DoC) projected to be around 104.36 mb/d. This suggests a tightening market, particularly as demand for DoC crude is expected to rise to 42.5 mb/d in 2025, reflecting a potential deficit in the coming months if production does not keep pace with demand growth.
In 2025, the Americas remain the largest producer with 25.19 mb/d, followed by the Middle East at 9.01 mb/d. Notably, the US Non-DoC production is projected to be 22.07 mb/d, indicating its significant role in global supply. The production from DoC countries has increased to 43.05 mb/d, highlighting OPEC's influence in the market.
Global oil demand is expected to grow by 1.3 mb/d in 2025, with the non-OECD regions, particularly China and India, driving this growth. The Americas and Europe are projected to see modest increases, but overall, the demand from non-OECD countries will dominate, reflecting a shift in consumption patterns towards emerging markets.
Non-DoC production is projected at 51.44 mb/d, significantly higher than DoC production at 43.05 mb/d. This indicates that while OPEC countries are crucial to supply, non-OPEC producers, especially the US, play an increasingly dominant role in the global oil market. The growth in Non-DoC production is expected to continue, particularly from the US and Brazil.
OPEC's current market position is strengthened by a stable increase in crude prices and a controlled production increase from its member countries. The organization is likely to maintain its production strategies to balance market dynamics, especially in light of growing demand from non-OECD countries.
As demand continues to rise, particularly from Asia, and with the expected growth in Non-DoC production, OPEC may face challenges in maintaining its market share. However, the strategic management of production levels will be critical in navigating potential supply-demand imbalances in the coming months.
CFTC Commitment of Traders Report (Disaggregated) as of 2025-09-23
Crude Oil Positioning (WTI-PHYSICAL - NYMEX):
Open Interest: 1,936,690 contracts (-25,930)
Managed Money Net Position: 26,483 contracts (1.4% of OI)
Weekly Change in Managed Money Net: -10,316 contracts
Producer/Merchant Net Position: 283,712 contracts
Swap Dealer Net Position: -402,312 contracts
Market Sentiment (based on Managed Money): Bullish but Weakening
Positioning Analysis (Managed Money): Normal Range
Key Takeaways:
- Managed Money traders are large speculators, often driving price trends in Crude Oil.
- Producer/Merchant positions primarily reflect hedging activity.
- Swap Dealers act as intermediaries.
- Extreme positioning by Managed Money can indicate potential market reversals.
- CFTC data reports positions as of the report date, usually released each Friday.
About Disaggregated CoT Reports:
The Disaggregated CoT report provides a more detailed breakdown of futures market open interest.
It categorizes traders into: Producer/Merchant/Processor/User (Commercials), Swap Dealers, Managed Money (Speculators), and Other Reportables.
| Date | Prediction | Lower Bound | Upper Bound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-18 | $57.55 | $55.57 | $59.54 |
| 2025-10-19 | $57.64 | $55.66 | $59.63 |
| 2025-10-20 | $57.72 | $55.74 | $59.7 |
| 2025-10-21 | $57.76 | $55.77 | $59.74 |
| 2025-10-22 | $57.75 | $55.77 | $59.74 |
The recent bearish sentiment in the market, reflected by a sentiment score of -0.600, suggests potential downward pressure on prices. The $67.58 for ICE Brent and $63.53 for NYMEX WTI indicate a mixed outlook for crude oil prices. The $4.05 Brent-WTI spread indicates that while Brent remains in demand, WTI is under pressure, possibly due to U.S. supply dynamics.
Traders should watch for support levels around $63.00 for WTI and $66.00 for Brent. The resistance levels are near $70.00 for Brent and $65.00 for WTI. The flattening of forward curves indicates potential volatility in the near term, especially with hedge funds maintaining a net short position.
The bearish market sentiment, coupled with a $63.53 average for WTI, suggests cautious production planning. The balance of supply and demand indicates stable growth in non-DoC liquids, but the impact of inventory levels—with OECD crude stocks down 10.4 mb m-o-m—should prompt producers to consider strategic hedging to mitigate price risks.
The risk factors include geopolitical uncertainties affecting market dynamics, particularly with OPEC's production adjustments. Producers should monitor refinery margins, which have improved due to seasonal trends, as this could influence demand for crude.
With the current average prices of $67.58 for Brent and $63.53 for WTI, consumers should prepare for potential input cost fluctuations. The bearish sentiment in the market could lead to lower prices in the short term, but ongoing geopolitical tensions may disrupt supply reliability.
The considerations for procurement should include monitoring crude imports and exports, particularly as U.S. crude exports have hit a yearly high of 4.3 mb/d. The tightening of product markets, especially for middle distillates, indicates that consumers may face challenges in securing stable supply at favorable prices.
The Crude Oil market presents a bearish outlook driven by weak sentiment and mixed price movements. The fundamentals show stable global oil demand growth of 1.3 mb/d forecasted for 2025, yet the oversupply concerns and bearish positioning by speculators indicate potential downward pressure on prices.
Analysts should focus on the implications of the flattening forward curves and the $4.05 Brent-WTI spread, which reflects differing global supply-demand dynamics. The ML price predictions