The fourth quarter of 2018 was a disaster for anyone sitting long crude oil futures. The nearby NYMEX contact teased the longs when it rose to the highest price since 2014 at $76.90 on October 3. A confluence of events weighed on the price of the energy commodity over the next three months. US production rose to a record level at 11.7 million barrels each day. The Saudis, who resisted US President Trump's pressure to increase output at first capitulated after international pressure grew following the murder of Saudi national and Washington Post reporter Jamal