WTI Crude Oil Futures Slide as Tariff Talks Whipsaw Markets
WTI Crude Oil Futures (April)
Yesterday’s Settlement: 68.26, down -0.11 [-0.16%]
Global markets were whipsawed by tariff headlines yesterday as rumors swirled about a 100% tariff on Taiwan Semi Conductor that was followed by a headline that President Trump may roll back Canadian / Mexico tariffs right away if they choose to act.
Headlines and trade policy remain unpredictable, making the trading environment difficult. Headlines are being written on a whim from shaky sources, and they are moving markets.
While the rollback of Mexico / Canada tariffs might be bullish for equity markets, it is bearish for WTI crude oil markets.
Today, April Futures are lower by -1.52 [-2.23%] to 66.74
Futures are trading lower today on the news that Canadian & Mexican tariffs may be put on hold. Markets are also continuing to digest OPEC+’s output hikes amidst the constant barrage of headlines.
Remember that in our note yesterday, we mentioned a headline that the Trump Administration was looking for avenues to ease Russian sanctions. This potential bearish catalyst hangs in the background. Zelensky has been apologetic since his Oval Office debacle and yesterday sounded open to negotiations with Russia.
Elsewhere, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is nearing an end. Israel’s tone over the past two weeks hasn’t really signaled much willingness to extend the ceasefire.
Technical Analysis:
Volatility remains unpredictable, coming at the drop of a headline. Some of these headlines are related to meaningful fundamental catalysts while some headlines are proving to be click-bait.
As we said yesterday, Crude markets are now awash in bearish catalysts and headlines, and now, the retracement of Mexico / Canada tariffs can be added to that list.
In this environment, I favor a hands-off approach until something changes. We’re looking to take advantage of large, knee-jerk price moves intraday while keeping sizing and risk small. Options markets can be utilized for risk-defined positioning if traders want to sit on a position for an elongated time-frame. Sizing and risk management are key to these trading environments – don’t get married to positions or a thesis.
For intraday trading, our pivot and point of balance is set at….
Want to stay informed about energy markets?
Subscribe to our daily Energy Update for essential insights into Crude Oil and more. Get expert technical analysis, proprietary trading levels, and actionable market biases delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now for free futures market research from Blue Line Futures!
Sign Up for Free Futures Market Research – Blue Line Futures