One Chart Shows Where Oil Prices Could Be Headed
There’s a rare extreme in the oil sector right now…
The oil-to-U.S. dollar ratio – which reflects the relationship between the price of oil and the dollar – is near its lowest point in almost seven years.
When this ratio hit a low in 2009, the price of oil went on to soar 214% to its peak in June 2014.
But if you think this extreme means oil prices could soon rally, you’re making a mistake…
As regular readers know, the dollar has broken out over the past year. It’s now stronger than it has been since 2003 versus other major currencies. The U.S. Dollar Index is up 40% since it bottomed in 2008.
Historically, when the dollar rises, commodities like oil tend to fall. This is what we’ve seen this time around. The price of benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is down more than 60% since June 2014 – to around $40 per barrel.
As a result, the ratio between the price of oil and the dollar has fallen. It’s down around 68% since oil peaked.
For this ratio to return to its normal level of the past few years, the dollar would have to fall significantly or oil prices would have to rise.
But the above chart only tells part of the story. Take a look at this longer-term chart of the oil-to-dollar ratio:
As you can see, while the oil-to-dollar ratio is approaching a nearly seven-year low, it can fall much further.
In December 1998, this ratio bottomed at 0.11. That’s more than 70% below today’s levels.
Oil cost $10.72 per barrel back then.
I’m not saying oil is going to go back to those levels… but the oil-to-dollar ratio is trending lower. The last time this ratio spiked, global demand for oil exceeded supply. We aren’t seeing that today. In fact, we’re seeing the opposite.
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