Energies Futures Prices

by cmdtyNewswires - 1 hour ago
Apr Nymex natural gas (NGJ19) this morning is down by -0.020 (-0.71%). Nat-gas prices are lower this morning ahead of today's weekly EIA inventory report that is expected to show U.S. nat-gas supplies fell by -48 bcf last week, a smaller draw than the 5-year average for this time of year of -56 bcf. Increased U.S. nat-gas output is another negative for prices after today's data showed U.S. lower-48-state nat-gas production at 83.893 bcf, up +5.6% y/y. Also, NOAA has forecasted above-normal temperatures across most of the northern U.S. from March 26-30, which should curb heating demand for nat-gas. In addition, the April-May nat-gas futures spread remained negative today and has been negative since Jan 30. A negative spread suggests nat-gas supplies will be ample by the end of the heating season. Apr nat-gas rallied to a 1-1/2 month nearest-futures high Tuesday on forecasts for colder-than-normal weather this week on the U.S East coast, which may further deplete already tight U.S. nat-gas supplies supply. U.S. nat-gas inventories fell by -204 bcf in the week ended Mar 8, a much larger draw than the 5-year average of -99 bcf and a record drop for this time of year. U.S. nat-gas inventories continue to shrink as nat-gas stockpiles on Mar 8 stood at a 4-3/4 year low of 1.186 tcf, down -22.6% y/y and -32.4% below the 5-year average.

by cmdtyNewswires - 1 hour ago
May WTI crude oil (CLK19) this morning is down -$0.19 (-0.32%) per barrel and May Brent crude (CBJ19) is down -$0.16 (-0.23%). May RBOB gasoline (RBK19) is down -0.50 cents per gallon (-0.26%). The energy complex is moving lower this morning as May WTI crude and May Brent crude retreated from fresh 4-1/4 month highs in overnight trade. A stronger dollar and weaker stock prices today are weighing on energy prices. Also, U.S. economic concerns are undercutting crude prices after the FOMC on Wednesday cut its U.S. 2019 GDP estimate to 2.1% from a Dec projection of 2.3%. Crude prices have fallen back after rallying to a new 4-1/4 month high in overnight trade on positive carry-over from Wednesday's bullish EIA report. The EIA reported Wednesday that U.S. crude inventories unexpectedly plunged -9.59 million bbl last week, much weaker than expectations for a +1.75 million bbl build. Also, product supplies tumbled after EIA gasoline stockpiles fell -4.587 million bbl, a bigger decline than expectations of -2.5 million bbl, and distillate inventories fell -4.127 million bbl, much more than expectations of -1.5 million bbl. The energy complex still has support from Monday when Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said that OPEC+ members are conforming well to the crude production cuts they agreed to in January and that compliance with the cuts will easily exceed 100 percent in March. In a bearish factor, however, Russia is insisting that OPEC+ delay a decision until June on extending the 1H production cuts into 2H, suggesting that Russia may be reluctant to extend its production cuts.