ConocoPhillips (COP) has been trading sideways since April but it is now poised for fresh gains in the days and weeks ahead. Let's review the charts and indicators to suggest a strategy.
In this daily bar chart of COP, below, we can see a bullish alignment of our favorite indicators. The 50-day and the 200-day moving averages both have positive slopes. The daily On-Balance-Volume (OBV) has been rising the past year, only interrupted by sideways periods. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) oscillator has been above the zero for most of the past 12 months and is now poised to turn back above the zero line.
In this weekly chart of COP, below, we went back four years to show the turnaround from a downtrend to a bottom and then to a rally. Prices are above the rising 40-week moving average line. The weekly OBV line has been bullish since early 2016. The weekly MACD is well above the zero line. The two moving averages of this indicator are on top of each other - we could get a sell signal but fresh highs could turn the indicator back up again.
In this Point and Figure chart of COP, below we can see a $73 price target which would be a new high.
Bottom line: COP has traded sideways the past 10 weeks in what might be called an equilateral triangle formation. Typically, triangle formations break out about 3/4 to 2/3 of the way through the pattern rather than go to the apex. Look for COP to breakout very soon and that is your signal to go long risking a close below $64.
