CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Technical analysis: key levels for gold and crude

Consolidation is the name of the game, with both gold and Brent continuing to range after substantial rallies. With that in mind, range bound trading strategies make sense.

IG Analyst

Publication date : 2017-02-15T10:00:08+0000

Gold

Source: Bloomberg

Gold consolidating after channel break

Gold is proving remarkably resilient following a bearish shift last week, after price fell out of an ascending channel and below the key $1228 support level. We have since seen a period of consolidation, with a symmetrical triangle coming into play.

Ultimately we need to see a break through $1219 to provide a bearish signal. However, to the upside it is more difficult as any rally that falls short of the $1245 level could look like a retracement of the pullback from that level. As such, a push through $1245 is required to become bullish once more.

Gold chart

Gold chart

Gold chart

Brent in the middle of its range

Brent has turned lower from the upper end of its 2017 range, with a clear tug-of-war going on between bulls and bears over recent months.

The $53.00 mark is what needs to be broken to the downside to provide a more bearish medium-term outlook, whereas a break through $58.47 would signal a bullish resolution. Until either of these happen, it makes sense to keep playing the range. Further downside looks likely for now, with longs coming back into play around $55.00.

Brent chart

Brent chart

Brent chart

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