OIL: Crude Slightly Higher Following EU-US Deal, Key Events This Week

Jul-28 05:07

Oil prices are moderately higher during today’s APAC session after falling over a percent on Friday as another trade deal with the US has helped to alleviate concerns that increased protectionism would weigh on global energy demand. WTI is up 0.6% to $65.57/bbl after a low of $65.05. Brent is 0.6% higher at $68.85/bbl off today’s peak of $68.88. The USD index is little changed.

  • The EU reached an agreement with the US for tariffs of 15% except steel & aluminium which still face 50% and aircraft & parts that will have no duty. The EU agreed to buy $750bn of US energy over the remainder of President Trump’s term and invest $600bn in the US.
  • The oil market will be watching the outcome of US-China talks starting today and Sunday’s OPEC meeting closely as well as the tone from Wednesday’s Fed decision (it is widely expected to keep rates unchanged). Key data this week include US Q2 GDP & June PCE July 30 & 31, and US July payrolls August 1.
  • OPEC is meeting today to determine where the oil market is at before the August 3 output decision. It is expected to increase targets again after 411kbd was decided in July for August.
  • There are few other events today with only the July Dallas Fed manufacturing, which can impact oil price movements, and the ECB survey of monetary analysts released. 

Historical bullets

US FISCAL: Available "Extraordinary" Measures To Ward Off X-Date Pick Up

Jun-27 20:16

Treasury reported Friday that as of Jun 25 it had $130B in remaining "extraordinary" measures (of a total $378B available) to ward off an "x-date" of running out of resources before defaulting. That's the highest in 2 weeks. 

  • Combined with $334B cash as of Jun 25 (after a bit of a buildup after the mid-June tax deadline), that's a total of roughly $465B in total resources available.
  • We noted earlier this week that Treasury told Congress that it was required to extend its debt issuance suspension period from Jun 27 to Jul 24, in effect prolonging the use of extraordinary measures while we await a resolution to the debt limit impasse, probably through the fiscal legislation currently going through Congress.
  • Realistically, fiscal dynamics so far this year point to potential for Treasury to get into September without running out of cash + extraordinary measures. That seems to be the broad market expectation.
image

US DATA: Cleveland, Dallas Fed PCE Medians Show Progress But Still Above-Target

Jun-27 20:01

The Cleveland and Dallas Fed's median PCE metrics showed a notable drop in May. All indices suggest PCE inflation running above 2%, and higher than the actual core and headline PCE measures, but pressures appear to have cooled from a pickup in the early months of the year.

  • The Cleveland Fed's median PCE measure came in at 0.22% M/M, a 10-month low after April's 15-month high 0.31%. This left median PCE at 3.01% on a Y/Y basis, down from 3.06% prior for a the joint-lowest (with Feb) since September 2021.
  • The Dallas Fed's annualized median rate fell to 2.01%, from 2.65% prior for a 10-month low. The 6-month annualized rate edged lower to 2.74% (2.76% prior), a 4-month low, with the Y/Y rate ticking down to 2.55% from 2.56%, echoing the Cleveland Fed for the lowest reading since September 2021.
image
image

USDCAD TECHS: Pivot Resistance Remains Intact

Jun-27 20:00
  • RES 4: 1.4111 High Apr 4
  • RES 3: 1.4016 High May 12 and 13 and a key resistance 
  • RES 2: 1.3920 High May 21 
  • RES 1: 1.2710/3803 20- and 50-day EMA values
  • PRICE: 1.3658 @ 16:23 BST Jun 27
  • SUP 1: 1.3618 Low Jun 26  
  • SUP 2: 1.3540 Low Jun 16 and the bear trigger
  • SUP 3: 1.3503 1.618 proj of the Feb 3 - 14 - Mar 4 price swing
  • SUP 4: 1.3473 Low Oct 2 2024

USDCAD has pulled back from its recent highs. The primary downtrend remains intact and short-term gains appear to have been corrective. Key support and the bear trigger has been defined at 1.3540, the Jun 16 low. Clearance of this price point would resume the downtrend. Any reversal higher would instead signal scope for a stronger retracement. Pivot resistance to monitor is at the 50-day EMA, at 1.3803.