| Speculators’ conviction that oil will rally weakened at the fastest pace in three years, just before futures tumbled into a bear market. The net-long position in West Texas Intermediate contracted 28 percent in the seven days ended July 21, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. Long positions dropped to a two-year low while short holdings climbed 25 percent.
Oil traded in New York fell more than 20 percent from its June high, meeting the common definition of a bear market. U.S. output has held near a four-decade high while the largest OPEC members pump at record rates, keeping the market oversupplied. The drop was part of a broader retreat in commodity prices to a 13-year low, driven by concern that slower economic growth in China and a stronger dollar will hurt demand...............................................Full Article: Source
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