- Natural Gas price consolidate this week after a sharp rally in May.
- Egypte is importing more Gas ahead of the summer session to meet energy demand.
- The US Dollar Index jumps higher on Tuesday and is on track to recover initial weekly losses.
Natural Gas price (XNG/USD) trades roughly flat at around $2.70 during the European trading session on Wednesday. The price action is starting to turn choppy with market participants starting to unwind their overextended long positions in Natural Gas via options and futures contracts. The main driver for the unwind is the European gas storage reserve, which has broken above 70% for the first time since last winter.
Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, moves higher for a second straight day of gains after Monday’s decline. For the week, the DXY index still trades in a loss, ahead of the ADP private payroll number and the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data for May scheduled on Wednesday. The ADP release was already softer for both the actual number, missing estimates and a downward revision for the previous month.
Natural Gas is trading at $2.71 per MMBtu at the time of writing.
Natural Gas news and market movers: ADP softening helps hopes for demand pickup
- As mentioned above, European overall Gas storage reserves are back above 70%, according to Bloomberg data.
- Egypt will import around 20 additional Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargoes this summer to meet energy demand during the hottest period of the year. Gas Exports out of Egypt are still banned, Reuters reports.
- According to port data, demand for LNG is set to fall in June as both Asia and Europe take fewer deliveries than last month. Bloomberg Energy reports that global LNG imports will fall by 3% this month compared to May data.
- Russia saw its revenue on oil and gas jump by 50% in May, with the company circumventing current sanctions put in place by Europe, the US and other countries.
Natural Gas Technical Analysis: Another leg higher?
Natural Gas is trading back in the middle of the range that is starting to form between $2.60 and $2.82. This consolidation is more than welcome after the wild and steep ride in May. With some profit-taking and reassessments taking place, some additional retracement might be welcomed first before investors start to buy in again.
The $3.00 marker as a big figure was tested in May. The pivotal level near $3.07 ( March 6, 2023, high) remains key as prices failed to post a daily close above it. Further up, the fresh year-to-date high at $3.16 is the level to beat.
On the downside, the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) acts as the first support near $2.53. Should that support area fail to hold, the next target could be the pivotal level near $2.14, with interim support by the 55-day SMA near $2.25. Further down, the biggest support comes at $2.11 with the 100-day SMA.
Natural Gas: Daily Chart
Natural Gas FAQs
Supply and demand dynamics are a key factor influencing Natural Gas prices, and are themselves influenced by global economic growth, industrial activity, population growth, production levels, and inventories. The weather impacts Natural Gas prices because more Gas is used during cold winters and hot summers for heating and cooling. Competition from other energy sources impacts prices as consumers may switch to cheaper sources. Geopolitical events are factors as exemplified by the war in Ukraine. Government policies relating to extraction, transportation, and environmental issues also impact prices.
The main economic release influencing Natural Gas prices is the weekly inventory bulletin from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a US government agency that produces US gas market data. The EIA Gas bulletin usually comes out on Thursday at 14:30 GMT, a day after the EIA publishes its weekly Oil bulletin. Economic data from large consumers of Natural Gas can impact supply and demand, the largest of which include China, Germany and Japan. Natural Gas is primarily priced and traded in US Dollars, thus economic releases impacting the US Dollar are also factors.
The US Dollar is the world’s reserve currency and most commodities, including Natural Gas are priced and traded on international markets in US Dollars. As such, the value of the US Dollar is a factor in the price of Natural Gas, because if the Dollar strengthens it means less Dollars are required to buy the same volume of Gas (the price falls), and vice versa if USD strengthens.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds positive ground above 1.0950 ahead of US CPI release
The EUR/USD pair attracts some buyers to around 1.0980 during the Asian session on Thursday. The Euro edges higher against the Greenback as German conservative leader agreed on a coalition deal with the center-left Social Democrats on Wednesday.
GBP/USD trades near 1.2850 after recovering recent losses, BoE's Breeden speech awaited
GBP/USD recovers its daily losses and continues its winning streak for the third successive session, hovering around 1.2850 during Asian trading hours on Thursday. The British Pound came under pressure following the release of weaker-than-expected data from the RICS Housing Price Balance.
Gold price rallies further beyond $3,100; eyes all-time high amid US-China tariff war
Gold price continues to attract safe-haven flows amid rising US-China trade tensions. Bets for multiple Fed rate cuts weigh on the USD and also benefit the precious metal. A solid recovery in the risk sentiment fails to undermine the safe-haven XAU/USD pair.
XRP back above $2 liquidating $18M in short positions, will the rally continue?
Ripple seeks support above $2.0020 on Thursday after gaining 14% in the past 24 hours. The token trades at $2.0007 at the time of writing, reflecting growing bullish sentiment across global markets.
Tariff rollercoaster continues as China slapped with 104% levies
The reaction in currencies has not been as predictable. The clear winners so far remain the safe-haven Japanese yen and Swiss franc, no surprises there, while the euro has also emerged as a quasi-safe-haven given its high liquid status.
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.