The Nymex crude oil futures market this week dropped to a 4.5-month low and a price downtrend has been restarted on the daily bar chart. The bears have gained the near-term technical advantage, which means the path of least resistance for prices will be sideways to lower for at least the near term—until an early chart clue emerges to suggest otherwise. You will get those early chart clues on potential price trend changes in my daily markets update reports. Stay tuned! —Jim Wyckoff