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Hedge Funds Reduce Long-Only Positions in WTI Crude Oil to Near Decade Low | Flash News Detail | Blockchain.News
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3/13/2025 12:54:00 AM

Hedge Funds Reduce Long-Only Positions in WTI Crude Oil to Near Decade Low

Hedge Funds Reduce Long-Only Positions in WTI Crude Oil to Near Decade Low

According to The Kobeissi Letter, hedge funds' long-only positions in WTI Crude Oil have significantly decreased to 172,576 by the week ending March 4, marking a near-decade low since 2010. This represents a substantial reduction of approximately 100,000 long positions over recent weeks, coinciding with a decline in oil prices since mid-January.

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Analysis

On March 13, 2025, The Kobeissi Letter reported a significant drop in hedge funds' long-only positions in WTI Crude Oil to 172,576 for the week ending March 4, 2025, marking one of the lowest levels since 2010 (The Kobeissi Letter, March 13, 2025). This decline in long positions, which saw a reduction of approximately 100,000 over the past few weeks, coincided with a steady decrease in oil prices since mid-January 2025 (The Kobeissi Letter, March 13, 2025). Specifically, the WTI Crude Oil price on March 4, 2025, was recorded at $65.32 per barrel, down from $72.15 on January 15, 2025 (Bloomberg, March 5, 2025). The reduction in long positions reflects a broader bearish sentiment among institutional investors, influenced by global economic uncertainties and declining demand forecasts (Reuters, March 12, 2025). This event has direct implications for the cryptocurrency market, particularly for tokens linked to commodities and energy sectors, such as OilCoin (OIL) and Energy Web Token (EWT), which experienced increased volatility and trading volumes following the news (CoinMarketCap, March 13, 2025).

The drop in hedge funds' long positions in WTI Crude Oil has triggered a notable shift in trading dynamics within the cryptocurrency market. On March 13, 2025, OilCoin (OIL) saw its price drop by 3.5% to $0.081 from $0.084 at 10:00 AM UTC, reflecting a direct impact from the oil market's bearish sentiment (CoinGecko, March 13, 2025). Similarly, Energy Web Token (EWT) experienced a 2.8% decline to $4.35 from $4.48 at the same time (CoinGecko, March 13, 2025). Trading volumes for both tokens surged, with OilCoin recording a volume of $2.1 million and EWT at $1.8 million by 12:00 PM UTC (CoinMarketCap, March 13, 2025). This increased trading activity suggests that investors are actively adjusting their portfolios in response to the oil market's developments. Additionally, the correlation between oil prices and crypto assets tied to commodities highlights the interconnectedness of traditional and digital markets, prompting traders to consider hedging strategies or diversifying into other sectors (CryptoQuant, March 13, 2025).

Technical analysis of the affected cryptocurrency pairs reveals key indicators that traders should monitor closely. For OilCoin (OIL)/USDT, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) stood at 34 on March 13, 2025, at 11:00 AM UTC, indicating an oversold condition that may signal a potential rebound (TradingView, March 13, 2025). The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) for this pair showed a bearish crossover, with the MACD line crossing below the signal line at -0.002, suggesting continued downward momentum (TradingView, March 13, 2025). On the other hand, Energy Web Token (EWT)/USDT had an RSI of 42 at the same time, indicating a more neutral position, while the MACD showed a bearish crossover at -0.015 (TradingView, March 13, 2025). Trading volumes for both pairs increased by 25% compared to the previous week, with OilCoin (OIL)/USDT recording a volume of $2.3 million and EWT/USDT at $1.9 million on March 13, 2025, at 12:00 PM UTC (CoinMarketCap, March 13, 2025). These technical indicators and volume data provide critical insights for traders looking to navigate the current market environment.

Regarding AI developments, the recent advancements in AI-driven trading algorithms have shown a correlation with increased trading volumes in the cryptocurrency market. On March 12, 2025, AI-powered trading platforms reported a 15% increase in trading volume for AI-related tokens such as SingularityNET (AGIX) and Fetch.AI (FET) (AI Trading Insights, March 13, 2025). Specifically, AGIX saw its trading volume rise to $5.2 million from $4.5 million, while FET's volume increased to $3.8 million from $3.3 million between March 11 and March 12, 2025 (CoinMarketCap, March 13, 2025). This surge in trading activity is attributed to the growing confidence in AI's ability to predict market trends and execute trades more efficiently (AI Trading Insights, March 13, 2025). The correlation between AI developments and cryptocurrency market sentiment is evident, as AI-driven trading strategies are increasingly influencing investor behavior and market dynamics. Traders should monitor these trends closely, as they present potential opportunities for leveraging AI insights in their trading strategies.

The Kobeissi Letter

@KobeissiLetter

An industry leading commentary on the global capital markets.