Natural Gas Extends Rally to 1-Year High
US natural gas futures rose further to over $3.65 per MMBtu on Friday, the highest in over one year, as bets of stronger global LNG demand magnified the outlook of higher domestic consumption. Fresh forecasts of a cold front in the US halfway through January drove the industry to raise demand forecasts by 18 billion cubic feet into the weekend. This coincided with data from the EIA showing that gas storages fell by over 100bcf for the second straight week, deepening the anticipated start to the withdrawal season. In turn, the decreasing likelihood that Europe will continue to receive Russian gas through Ukraine drove investors to take long LNG positions as EU members search for alternative gas sources. This raises demand for US LNG at the turn of the US presidency, with President-elect Trump pledging to issue more LNG export permits, driving firms to favor more profitable exports instead of cheaper gas sales domestically due to the ample domestic supply.