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The oil market has a habit of looking settled right before it stops being settled. That is the setup now.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped sharply as the conflict around Iran has intensified, and more vessels are going dark by switching off AIS, or Automatic Identification System, signals that usually show where ships are moving. Hormuz is not just another shipping lane. It is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, so when visibility starts to disappear, supply risk moves back to the centre of the conversation.
Why this matters now
This matters for a couple of reasons.
The headline move is one thing. The market implication is another. Oil is not only about how many barrels exist, rather, it is also about whether those barrels can move, who is willing to insure them, how long buyers are prepared to wait and how much extra risk traders feel they need to price in.
Right now, three things are colliding at once: disrupted shipping, fragile diplomacy and a market that is already leaning heavily in one direction. That combination can make Brent move faster than the fundamentals alone would normally suggest.
What is driving the move
1 Supply visibility is deteriorating
The first driver is simple. The market can see less, and that tends to make it more nervous.
Transit through Hormuz has fallen sharply, while a growing share of traffic has involved ships that are no longer broadcasting standard tracking signals. In plain English, fewer vessels are moving normally through a critical corridor, and more of the activity is becoming harder to track. That does not automatically mean supply is about to collapse. But it does mean uncertainty is rising.
2 Iran’s storage buffer may be limited
The second driver is Iran’s export and storage constraint.
Onshore storage capacity is estimated at about 40 million barrels, and the market is watching what some describe as a 16-day red line. That is the point at which a prolonged export disruption could begin forcing production cuts to avoid damage to reservoirs. For newer readers, the takeaway is straightforward. If oil cannot leave storage for long enough, the problem may stop being about delayed exports and start becoming a genuine supply issue.
3 Positioning could amplify the move
The third driver is positioning, which is just market shorthand for how traders are already set up before the next move happens.
In this case, speculative crude positioning looks heavily one-sided. That matters because when a market is leaning too far in one direction, it does not take much to trigger a sharp adjustment. A fresh geopolitical shock could force traders to move quickly, and once that starts, price can run harder than the underlying news alone might justify.
Why the market cares
An oil shock rarely stays contained inside the energy market.
Higher crude prices can start showing up in freight, manufacturing and household energy bills. That means inflation expectations can start creeping higher again. Central banks are already trying to manage a difficult balance between sticky inflation and softer growth, so higher oil can make that job harder.
And this is not just a story about oil producers getting a lift. Airlines, transport companies and other fuel-sensitive businesses can come under pressure quickly when energy costs rise. Broader equity markets may also have to rethink the policy outlook if higher oil keeps inflation firmer than expected.
The ripple effects go well beyond oil
There is also a currency angle, and it is less straightforward than it first appears.
Commodity-linked currencies such as the Australian dollar often get support when raw material prices rise. But that relationship is not automatic. If oil is climbing because global demand is improving, that can help. If it is climbing because geopolitical risk is spiking, markets can shift into risk-off mode instead, and that can weigh on the Australian dollar even as commodity prices rise.
That is what makes this kind of move more interesting than it looks at first glance. The same oil rally can support one part of the market while putting pressure on another.
Assets and names in the frame
Brent crude remains the clearest read on broad supply risk. If traders want the cleanest expression of the headline story, this is usually where they look first.
- ExxonMobil is one of the more obvious names in the frame. Higher oil prices can support realised selling prices and near-term earnings momentum, although it is never as simple as oil up, stock up. Costs, production mix and broader sentiment still matter.
- NextEra Energy adds another layer. This story is not only about fossil fuels. When energy security becomes a bigger concern, the case for domestic power resilience, grid investment and alternative generation can strengthen as well.
- AUD/USD is another market worth watching. Australia is closely tied to commodity cycles, so stronger raw material prices can sometimes support the currency. But if markets are reacting more to fear than growth, that usual tailwind may not hold.
For newer readers, the key point is that oil moves do not spread through markets in a neat, predictable line. They ripple outward unevenly, helping some assets, pressuring others and sometimes doing both at the same time.
What could go wrong
A strong narrative is not the same as a one-way trade.
A ceasefire could stabilise shipping flows faster than expected. OPEC+ could offset some of the tightness by lifting production. Demand data from China could disappoint, shifting the focus back to weak consumption rather than constrained supply. And if the geopolitical premium fades, oil could pull back more quickly than the current mood suggests.
For newer readers, the takeaway is simple. Oil rallies can be real without being permanent. A move may be justified in the short term by disruption risk, then reverse quickly if those risks ease or if demand softens.
The market is no longer pricing oil in isolation. It is pricing visibility, transport security and the risk that supply disruption spills into inflation, currencies and broader risk sentiment.
That is why Hormuz matters, even for readers who never trade a barrel of crude themselves.
The S&P 500 has been battered and bruised in one of the worst first half of the years in history. However, there are some signs that it may be turning. A short term long buying opportunity on the SPY looks to be apparent.
With the recent bullish sentiment due to the market believing that much of the forecast slowing growth and interest rate hikes have been prices into the market already. The trading opportunity is a technical breakout of a wedge pattern on the daily chart. Firstly it is important to recognise that the S&P500 is still in a longer term down trend.
This can be seen on the chart below. Since December 2021 the SPX has been in a downward channel making a series of lower highs and lower lows. Therefore it is important to understand that this opportunity will be against the longer general trend of the market.
The Chart On the chart the wedge at the bottom of the channel has broken to the upside. Without this break it could’ve been possible that this would've formed into a bear flag. However on the contrary, it looks to have developed into a reversal pattern, as the price has coiled.
Furthermore, and importantly, the price has broken above the 50 day average. This is also supported by the MACD. The MACD is not just showing a crossover.
To add support to the reversal, the MACD is showing a double bottom pattern of exhaustion as it looks to break over the zero line for the first time since April. A conservative target would be the convergence of the next level of resistance and also the top line of the channel. This is a 4100 target.
If the index can break through 4100 level and continue to rise to 4230. As stated previously the second move up will likely face a large amount of resistance as it is fighting the general trend and against a fairly strong resistance point.
The Australian dollar has begun the week relatively strongly after gaining some momentum from RBA's most recent meeting. The board pushed across quite a hawkish sentiment sparking the rise in the AUD. They found that the current slowing growth across the market and global sphere created that was “becoming skewed to the downside.” The board expressed their concern about the economic activity in China, particularly with the threat of Covid 19.
With lockdowns and a strict covid policy, the threat remains a key factor in the speed of growth on the mainland. Whilst overall business activity improved through May and likely June as well, recent lockdowns have the potential to pull back these gains. The low unemployment signalled Australia’s robustness and strength with record high participation rates in the economy.
Violent weather events like the floods in NSW and the Russian and Ukraine crisis also further added strain on the supply driving up prices and increasing the price of goods. Non-labour inputs also rose in price contributing further to inflation. The members did note the prices for base metals had begun to ease as recession fears had grown.
In addition, declining house prices and clearance rates as a sign that the speed of inflation is potentially slowing, however, they still expect inflation to continue rising for the remainder of 2022. Ultimately the members of the board agreed to increase the cash rate by 50 basis points instead of the alternative of 25 points. With particular emphasis on the strong labour market, the need to bring inflation under control trumped the need for stronger growth.
In response to the release of the minutes, the AUDUSD saw a little rise higher. After sitting near its 52-week lows at $0.6681 in recent weeks, the minutes provided a much-needed push. The price of the AUDUSD currently sits at $0.6845 which is its prior support level and has now become a level of resistance.
If the AUDUSD can push through this level the next resistance point is at $0.6967. As the market is still dealing with unprecedented global inflationary figures, it remains risky to go against the USD, however with effective risk management this risk can be mitigated.
Recent History The USD has been on a tear in recent months as volatile market conditions have sent the currency rocketing. Inflationary pressures and recession fears have seen investors turn to the USD whilst at the same time taking off risk from the AUD. The AUD's drop has also been further is largely due to a decrease in the price of commodities such as Iron Ore, Brent Crude, Wheat, and other key resources that rive much of the Australian economy.
In addition, the AUD is seen as a risk currency. This means that the currency performs well when the economy is growing and the market is bullish and conversely suffers during times of volatility and slowed growth. There has been some positive price action to indicate that a reversal in the AUDUSD may be imminent.
Technical Analysis From a long-term perspective, the weekly chart shows that going back since 2015 the AUDUSD has been trading in a relatively stable range between approximately $0.6680 and $0.8126. The one exception to this was the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic which acted as a ‘Black Swan’ type of event towards the pair and the wider market, (A). This caused a mass panic and a subsequent sell off the AUDUSD.
Once the initial panic began to subside the pair recovered and was able to recover back into the range. It is interesting to note that over the last few years the pair has reverted to its 50-week moving average, after aggressive moves in either direction. In recent weeks, a reversal does appear to be emerging.
The candlesticks also support this by showing a red hammer candle followed by a relatively strong green candle indicating potential exhaustion, (B). Looking closely at the daily chart can provide a few more targets in terms of potential price targets. The next most reasonable price target could be the 50-day moving average which is also doubles as the next level of resistance at $0.6970.
If the price is able to break through this point, then it may go further target the 200 Day average of $0.7190. However, it will likely have to soak up a fair amount of selling pressure. Ultimately the strength of this pair will largely depend on how accurately the market is pricing in inflation and a recession.
If the selloff in equities has maxed out, then it may positively effect the direction of the AUDUSD. However, if there is more pain to come then the pair may sell further down.
Oil has seen its first real slip up in price since March. The commodity had been running on the back of high inflation and supply issues stemming from the Russian and Ukraine crisis. During the run Oil peaked at $137 a barrel before entering a period of consolidation.
The recent catalyst for the drop was OPEC announcing that 2023 would likely result in lower demand for Oil. In addition, the threat of Chinese lockdowns is once again rearing its ugly head, adding to the woes. Furthermore, there have been discussion in recent days and week with the President of the USA, Joe Biden pushing for an increase in production.
The price has now fallen out of the wedge and is testing the support level. A strong USD Oil historically moves inversely to the USD. This is because oil is priced in US dollars.
Therefore, when the US dollar is strong fewer US dollars are required to buy a barrel of oil. Conversely, when the USD is weak, more USD is required, increasing the price of Oil. Consequently, with the USD being as strong as it is currently, the price of oil had to at some point fall.
Slowing Growth A recession could be a strong driver for a dip in the price of oil as negative growth has reduces the demand for commodities. Growing economies require Oil and other commodities to develop their infrastructure. Therefore, a recession will likely lead to less manufacturing and less infrastructure development due to a reduction in demand.
Technical Analysis The price of Brent is approaching an important area of support. It can be observed that the price of Brent has broken down from its wedge pattern and following back into the longer-term trend. The price is sitting on its short-term support level of $97.
This level is also of extra importance because it also doubles as the 200-day average. It can therefore be expected that there will be a great deal of volume traded near this zone and that to break through it will require a great deal of selling pressure.
It was a monumental year for two of the biggest electric car makers – Tesla and NIO in 2020. The stocks of both companies rose significantly over the last 12 months with NIO gaining over 1000% and Tesla by over 350% - reaching new record highs. With such gains, both companies have attracted significant public interest and a lot of investors have been keeping a close eye on both of the company’s progress.
But recently, we have seen a bump in the road for both companies with the share price of NIO, Tesla, and other electric car makers dropping, causing concern for the investors. But should this be a concern or an opportunity for investors? I think there would be two sides, but I guess most investors would look at it as an opportunity, seeing that the share price has dropped despite the future prospects for both companies.
There were a lot of doubters for Tesla in its early days when Elon Musk’s company was burning through cash each day, but that hasn’t stopped the company evolve into what it is today and at one point making Musk the richest person in the world. Also – the future of the world is green. A lot of countries around the world have already banned the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 onwards.
However, I think the world is still some way away from being ready for most people to own an electric car, especially from the infrastructure perspective. Most people would probably think that you will need to charge your electric car at a charging station (or at home) and wait hours for it to be done - which in some cases will probably be true. However, the infrastructure for electric cars must be more advanced than that.
We live in a world where we expect everything straight away and the same will happen with charging electric cars - that is why we are seeing companies working on battery swap stations which will make the process quick and easy. The battery in electric cars has long-range and will probably increase over time. For example, NIO’s model ET7 has a battery range of around 621 miles (around 1,000 km).
This means you could drive from London to Paris and back with the same battery charge (the quickest route from London to Paris is 292.3 miles according to Google Maps). But with all the positives, there are and will be challenges for the electric car manufacturers. This week NIO announced that the global chip shortage will have an impact on their car production in the second quarter of the year.
They highlighted that the shortage of semiconductors and batteries will mean that the company will have to cut its production capacity from 10,000 to 7,500 vehicles. The share price of NIO have fallen by over 25% in the last month, trading at around $42 per share. Tesla shares have also seen a drop in the last month, down by 20% - trading at $677 per share.
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Bitcoin has seen a resurgence in recent days on the back of the Ukraine/Russian conflict. The price has risen 15% as money has poured into the cryptocurrency. Western countries have placed economic sanctions as an attempt to reduce military conduct from Russia.
This includes excluding several Russian banks from the SWIFT network. Consequently, the Rouble collapsed and in order to protect the Russian economy the Central Bank raised interest rates to 20%. The central banks also restricted foreigners from selling securities.
In response, many Russian citizens have turned to crypto currency as an alternative Rouble. Russian denominated Bitcoin volumes touched 9-month highs in the past week to signify this shift. Technical Analysis The long-term trend of BTC/USD is showing an exhausted double top.
For this to be confirmed the price needs to continue to move down and break through the support level at $28,892. If the price can break through the neckline, then the next price target should be at around $50,000.