WTI crude up 0.8% to near $67 on the day
Oil suffered a beating yesterday in a fall to test its July lows but the support region there held and we may see a short-term double-bottom pattern form in the commodity.
The 100-day moving average (green line) is still seen @ $67.13, so keep below that and any bullish bias remains limited as well - at least for the time being.
While buyers may have staved off a fresh leg lower in oil prices, any material rebound or upside to retest the early July highs may be tough to come by.
The market is showing a keen focus on the spread of the delta variant in China in particular and until there is some good news there, headlines are to suggest a higher likelihood of flagging demand conditions (or at least a temporary hit).
As for today, SCMP reports that China's local COVID-19 outbreak has hit its highest daily cases total since the current wave began on 20 July. While oil may be bouncing a little based on a technical reprieve, the fundamental developments aren't too positive lately.
And until things change on the latter front, dip buys - still the preferred stance - will face tougher resistance as compared to the more straightforward case in earlier months.
