$CL Empty!! This surge upward is a penalty ticket sent to chasing buyers. The price is trading right along the daily high, yet the open interest has shrunk by nearly half over the day. The more it rises, the fewer people are willing to bring in fresh money to enter the market. The big-account long positions cut nearly 20% within seven hours, and even “smart money” is running out of the venue—leaving only retail traders standing guard in long positions.