Scream correction. 

By Ipek Ozkardeskaya, Senior Analyst | Swissquote Bank  

US crude plummeted 4% yesterday and sank below the $70pb mark and Brent slipped below $75pb. Momentum traders and falling volumes worsened crude's recent plunge while OPEC's latest announcement of output cuts and Saudi's additional threats that they will extend their solo cut beyond Q1 went totally unheard. Worse, as the bears saw that investors ignored the supply cuts and threats, they feel more confident to increase their bets against crude. And indeed, the cartel's shrinking share of global output and frictions among members regarding the supply cut strategy mean that either the supply cuts don't make much difference, or further action will be difficult and perhaps too costly. Add the global slowdown woes into that mix, the dwindling falling interest and algorithmic trades' lack of emotion regarding the OPEC news, you understand why the barrel of crude is below $70pb and not above $100pb this December, as many banks had forecasted at the start of the year. And if a more than 4.5mio barrel fall in the US oil reserves last week couldn't halt yesterday's oil selloff, it is because the most recent number was blurred by a big margin error, the biggest on record – or the bulls just couldn't find the energy to swim against such a strong tide.  

The question on the back of everyone's mind is: could crude oil extend losses? At the current levels, crude oil is trading near oversold market territory, therefore your algorithmic models based on market metrics should take than into account and slow selling. As such, we shall see a certain rebound at the current levels. Yet any price recovery could remain limited at $75/78 range, including the minor 23.6% Fibonacci retracement and the 200-DMA, and once the time is right, we could see this negative move extent to $65/67 region.  

Remains the question of US strategic reserves that the US is said to consider refilling between $67/72 region. Yes, that will certainly help slow the downside pressure at this range but keep in mind that these  buybacks are limited to about 3 mio barrels per month due to physical constraints and won't reverse the tide.  

Now that OPEC risk is out of the way, the biggest upside risk for oil is Middle East tensions.