(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Crude steadied to start the week, with Brent near $64 a barrel and WTI around $60, as traders balanced firmer spot demand in Asia against a still-ample global supply picture.

Prices recovered modestly overnight after a week that saw both markers slip about two percent, leaving the Brent–WTI spread close to $4 and signaling a market content, for now, to trade a range rather than a trend.

The seven-day backdrop was defined by incremental, not dramatic, shifts. OPEC+ confirmed a small December increase while hinting at a pause in the first quarter if balances loosen, a pragmatic signal that prioritizes stability over headline cuts.

U.S. output remains strong and the rig count is grinding higher, underscoring shale's resilience and the role market incentives-not ministerial edicts-play in setting supply.

On the demand side, China's October crude arrivals cooled after earlier price spikes, but Indian refiners stepped in with fresh January purchases of U.S. and Middle East grades, a reminder that trade flows adjust quickly when prices ease.



Near-term catalysts are thin until the delayed U.S. inventory report later this week, so positioning and technicals are doing more of the work.
Oil steadies in a cautious, range-bound trade
On four-hour charts, Brent is coiling above $63.5 with momentum just positive; a push through $65 could open $66–67, while failure risks a drift back toward $63.

WTI is similarly range-bound around $60; a sustained break above $60.70 targets $61.50–$62, while a slip under $59.70 would put late-October lows back in play.

Daily charts for both show improving, but not yet bullish, momentum beneath declining 100- and 200-day averages-evidence of a base forming rather than a new uptrend.

Fundamentally, the market is absorbing more barrels without breaking. Asian spot buying, sanction-driven reshuffling of Russian flows, and cautious OPEC+ guidance are tempering volatility.

Energy equities and oil ETFs have seen only tentative inflows, consistent with traders waiting for clearer data before adding risk.

The bottom line: absent a fresh policy shock or supply outage, crude looks set to trade a constructive range-higher if Asia's demand pulse extends and U.S. data confirm steady draws, softer if the supply drip outpaces refinery intake. Discipline, price signals, and transparent data-not sweeping intervention-will decide the next leg.

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