Natural Gas Radar

2026-03-21 23:47

Table of Contents

Brian's Thoughts

Published: 03/21/2026 Focus: Natural Gas
Natural gas is stuck between a soft U.S. balance and a tight global LNG market, with Henry Hub holding the key $3.00–$3.247 zone after bouncing from $2.85 despite demand forecasts falling toward ~110 Bcf/d and production near ~110–112 Bcf/d. Storage around ~1.8–1.9 Tcf (near the 5-year average) and shoulder season dynamics typically pressure prices lower, reinforced by regional oversupply signals like Waha trading negative for 30+ days. However, global disruption is offsetting that weakness, with Qatar’s Ras Laffan (~20% of global LNG supply) offline and Hormuz risk keeping TTF (~€50–€60) and JKM ($20+) elevated. U.S. LNG exports near max capacity (~18.5–20 Bcf/d) effectively lock in strong demand, creating a floor under prices even as domestic fundamentals soften. If $3.00 breaks, the market likely targets $2.762, but if $3.247 holds and flips to support, $3.449 becomes the next upside magnet. Watch LNG feedgas flows, global benchmarks (TTF/JKM), storage injections, regional pricing like Waha, and the $3.00/$3.247 technical levels, as the market will swing between domestic oversupply and global tightness depending on which force takes control.

Today's Update

Updated: 2026-03-21 23:46:38 Length: 575 chars
Natural gas markets are navigating a tight global LNG landscape while facing soft domestic fundamentals. The Henry Hub is testing the critical $3.00–$3.247 range, bouncing from $2.85 amidst rising production (~110–112 Bcf/d) and demand forecasts falling to ~110 Bcf/d. Storage levels hover around the 5-year average. Recent geopolitical tensions, particularly disruptions in Qatar, are adding upward pressure, yet regional oversupply signals like negative Waha pricing persist. Watch for fluctuations as the market balances global tightness with domestic oversupply dynamics.

Executive Summary

Total supply increased by 1.3 BCFD | Total demand increased by 8.7 BCFD | Market is undersupplied by 25.82 BCFD

Technical Analysis

Overall Technical Score (-5 to +5): -1 (Neutral)
Current Price: $3.1
Signal: Neutral

Moving Averages (9/20)

BULLISH

MA(9): $3.11

MA(20): $3.04

Current Price is 3.1, 9 day MA 3.11, 20 day MA 3.04

MACD (12, 26, 9)

BULLISH

MACD: -0.0958

Signal: -0.1413

Days since crossover: 14

MACD crossed the line 14 days ago and is in a bullish setup

RSI (14)

NEUTRAL

Value: 46.84

Category: NEUTRAL

RSI is 46.84 (note 70% is overbought and 30% is oversold)

Volume (vs 20d Avg)

LOWER

Current: 101,136

Avg (20d): 144,856

Ratio: 0.7

Volume is lower versus 20 day average

Stochastic (14, 3)

BEARISH CROSS

%K: 33.83

%D: 39.35

Stochastic %K: 33.83, %D: 39.35. Signal: bearish cross

ADX (14)

NO TREND

ADX: 17.31

+DI: 26.99

-DI: 17.77

ADX: 17.31 (+DI: 26.99, -DI: 17.77). Trend: no trend

Williams %R (14)

NEUTRAL

Value: -66.17

Williams %R: -66.17 (neutral zone)

Bollinger Bands (20, 2)

ABOVE MIDDLE

Upper: 3.26

Middle: 3.04

Lower: 2.82

Price vs BBands (20, 2): above middle. Upper: 3.26, Middle: 3.04, Lower: 2.82

Fundamental Analysis

Category Current (BCFD) Last Week Last Year 3 Yr Avg
Dry Production 109.1 108.4 105.9 102.83
LNG Imports 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.07
Canadian Imports 5.3 4.7 4.7 4.5
Total Supply 114.4 113.1 110.6 107.4
Industrial Demand 25.0 23.9 23.4 23.73
Electric Power Demand 33.2 30.9 27.6 29.23
Residential & Commercial 47.4 42.0 23.7 28.3
LNG Exports 19.2 19.3 16.4 14.27
Mexico Exports 6.6 6.6 6.1 5.93
Pipeline Fuel 8.83 8.83 7.1 7.4
Total Demand 140.22 131.52 104.3 108.87
Supply/Demand Balance -25.82 -18.42 6.3 -1.47

Weather Analysis

Natural Gas Weather Impact: HIGH heating demand - significant cold spell (Heating-dominated conditions driving natural gas demand)

Weather Analysis Summary

Heating Degree Days (Utility Gas Weighted)
Last 7 Days: 144.0 HDD -2.0 vs Normal
Next 7 Days: 86.0 HDD -46.0 vs Normal
Cooling Degree Days (Population Weighted)
Last 7 Days: 7.0 CDD +7.0 vs Normal
Next 7 Days: 17.0 CDD +14.0 vs Normal

Weather Trend Analysis (Click charts to zoom)

HDD Analysis
HDD Analysis Chart
CDD Analysis
CDD Analysis Chart

Detailed Data

Recent HDD Data
Date HDD Normal Anomaly
03/13 20.0 21.0 -1.0
03/14 18.0 21.0 -3.0
03/15 16.0 21.0 -5.0
03/16 22.0 21.0 +1.0
03/17 28.0 21.0 +7.0
03/18 24.0 21.0 +3.0
03/19 16.0 20.0 -4.0
HDD Forecast
Date HDD Normal Anomaly
03/21 8.0 20.0 -12.0
03/22 8.0 20.0 -12.0
03/23 14.0 20.0 -6.0
03/24 15.0 19.0 -4.0
03/25 14.0 18.0 -4.0
03/26 11.0 18.0 -7.0
03/27 16.0 17.0 -1.0
Recent CDD Data
Date CDD Normal Anomaly
03/13 1.0 0.0 +1.0
03/14 1.0 0.0 +1.0
03/15 1.0 0.0 +1.0
03/16 1.0 0.0 +1.0
03/17 1.0 0.0 +1.0
03/18 1.0 0.0 +1.0
03/19 1.0 0.0 +1.0
CDD Forecast
Date CDD Normal Anomaly
03/21 3.0 0.0 +3.0
03/22 3.0 0.0 +3.0
03/23 2.0 0.0 +2.0
03/24 2.0 0.0 +2.0
03/25 2.0 1.0 +1.0
03/26 3.0 1.0 +2.0
03/27 2.0 1.0 +1.0
Data Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Region: CONUS Climatology: 1981-2010 Normal Period

Economic Analysis

Economic Sentiment Summary

NEGATIVE - Economic indicators showing headwinds
Dollar Impact: Weaker USD may support commodity prices
Industrial Demand: Weaker industrial demand signals
Interest Rate Impact: Rising rates may impact energy demand
Risk Sentiment: Moderate market volatility

Economic Indicators

USD_INDEX

99.5
Daily: 0.27 (0.28%)
Weekly: -0.21 (-0.21%)

US_10Y

4.39
Daily: 0.11 (2.57%)
Weekly: 0.17 (4.05%)

SP500

6506.48
Daily: -100.01 (-1.51%)
Weekly: -192.9 (-2.88%)

VIX

26.78
Daily: 2.72 (11.31%)
Weekly: 3.27 (13.91%)

GOLD

4574.9
Daily: -25.8 (-0.56%)
Weekly: -419.1 (-8.39%)

COPPER

5.37
Daily: -0.06 (-1.08%)
Weekly: -0.42 (-7.18%)

CFTC Commitment of Traders Analysis

Natural Gas Positioning (NAT GAS NYME - NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE)

Report Date: 2026-03-17
Sentiment: Bearish but Weakening
Positioning: Normal Range

Open Interest

1,560,291
Change: -5,050

Managed Money

-44,628
Change: +18,354
-2.9% of OI

Producer/Merchant

-4,055
Change: -12,355
-0.3% of OI

Swap Dealers

161,461
Change: +5,589
10.3% of OI

Other Reportables

-133,401
Change: -9,527
-8.5% of OI

Analysis Rationale (Managed Money):

  • Managed Money sentiment: bearish but weakening

Crude Oil Positioning (WTI-PHYSICAL - NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE)

Report Date: 2026-03-17
Sentiment: Bullish and Strengthening
Positioning: Normal Range

Open Interest

2,081,576
Change: +30,255

Managed Money

96,371
Change: +4,249
4.6% of OI

Producer/Merchant

249,396
Change: +36,838
12.0% of OI

Swap Dealers

-512,025
Change: -23,020
-24.6% of OI

Analysis Rationale (Managed Money):

  • Managed Money sentiment: bullish and strengthening

LNG Market Analysis

LNG Market Summary

TTF prices decreased to 18.061 EUR/MWh (-0.264). JKM prices decreased to 21.705 USD/MMBtu (-0.645). JKM is trading at a premium of 3.644 to TTF, indicating strong Asian demand.

TTF Prices

18.061

-0.264

Front month: APR 26

As of 2026-03-21

JKM Prices

21.705

-0.645

Front month: MAY 26

As of 2026-03-21

JKM-TTF Spread

3.644

20.18%

JKM is trading at a premium to TTF, indicating strong Asian demand.

As of 2026-03-21

Forward Curves Visualization
TTF (EUR/MWh)
JKM (USD/MMBtu)
22.2
20.7
19.2
17.6
16.1
18.06
21.70
APR 26
20.13
21.61
MAY 26
20.14
21.55
JUN 26
20.13
21.26
JUL 26
20.10
20.87
AUG 26
20.10
20.55
SEP 26
20.05
20.48
OCT 26
20.02
20.71
NOV 26
20.02
20.61
DEC 26
19.98
20.30
JAN 27
19.77
18.77
FEB 27
18.65
16.61
MAR 27
TTF Forward Curve (Next 12 Months)
Month Price (EUR/MWh)
APR 26 18.061
MAY 26 20.127
JUN 26 20.143
JUL 26 20.133
AUG 26 20.101
SEP 26 20.098
OCT 26 20.048
NOV 26 20.018
DEC 26 20.023
JAN 27 19.975
FEB 27 19.772
MAR 27 18.653
JKM Forward Curve (Next 12 Months)
Month Price (USD/MMBtu)
MAY 26 21.705
JUN 26 21.610
JUL 26 21.545
AUG 26 21.260
SEP 26 20.870
OCT 26 20.550
NOV 26 20.485
DEC 26 20.710
JAN 27 20.615
FEB 27 20.300
MAR 27 18.765
APR 27 16.610

LNG Flows Analysis

LNG Flows Summary

2026-02-19 to 2026-03-20
Latest LNG Flow 18.90 BCF/D
Daily Change +0.00 (+0.0%)
30-Day Average
18.86
BCF/D
30-Day High
19.40
BCF/D
30-Day Low
18.20
BCF/D
Data Points
30
Days

LNG Flows Trend (Click to zoom)

LNG Flows Chart
×

LNG Flows Analysis

Zoomed Chart

Recent LNG Flows Data

Date LNG Flow (BCF/D) Change from Previous
2026-03-11 18.80 N/A
2026-03-12 19.30 +0.50
2026-03-13 19.30 +0.00
2026-03-14 19.10 -0.20
2026-03-15 19.20 +0.10
2026-03-16 19.40 +0.20
2026-03-17 19.10 -0.30
2026-03-18 18.30 -0.80
2026-03-19 18.90 +0.60
2026-03-20 18.90 +0.00

News & Sentiment Analysis

Market Sentiment Overview

BULLISH
Average Polarity: 0.4
Confidence: 1.0
Articles Analyzed: 126
Last Updated: 2026-03-21 23:47:27

Commodity Sentiment

CRUDE_OIL

0.6

NATURAL_GAS

0.6

HEATING_OIL

0.0

Top News Topics

Fibonacci Levels Analysis

Current Price: $3.1
Closest Support: $2.78 10.32% below current price
Closest Resistance: $3.97 28.06% above current price

Fibonacci Retracement Levels

0.0 $2.78 Support
0.236 $3.97 Resistance
0.382 $4.7
0.5 $5.3
0.618 $5.9
0.786 $6.75
1.0 $7.83

Fibonacci Extension Levels

1.272 $9.2
1.618 $10.95
2.0 $12.88
2.618 $16.0

ML Price Prediction

Current Price: $3.1
Forecast Generated: 2026-03-21 23:47:28
Next Trading Day: UP 0.72%
Date Prediction Lower Bound Upper Bound
2026-03-21 $3.12 $2.93 $3.3
2026-03-22 $3.09 $2.91 $3.28
2026-03-23 $3.1 $2.92 $3.29
2026-03-24 $3.09 $2.91 $3.28
2026-03-25 $3.1 $2.91 $3.29

ML Insights

  • Forecast generated using ARIMA(5, 1, 0).
  • The model predicts a price increase of ~0.72% for the next trading day (2026-03-21), reaching $3.12.
  • The 5-day forecast suggests relatively stable prices between 2026-03-21 and 2026-03-25.
  • The average confidence interval width is ~12.0% of the predicted price, indicating model uncertainty.
  • SIGNAL: Weak bullish signal, high uncertainty.

AI Analysis

💹

For Energy Traders:

The market sentiment is currently bullish with a sentiment score of +0.400. However, the technical interpretation remains neutral with a score of -1/5. Traders should monitor the Fibonacci support at 2.78 and resistance at 3.97 for potential price movements.

The ML price forecast indicates a potential increase of 0.72% with a range between 2.93 and 3.3. This suggests short-term opportunities for traders, but volatility may arise due to the high heating demand in most regions, especially the Northeast and Midwest.

For Producers (Oil & Gas Companies):

The current fundamental balance shows a deficiency of -25.82 BCFD, indicating a tightening supply situation. Producers should consider adjusting production levels in response to this bullish sentiment, particularly as heating demand is expected to remain high.

With the news sentiment also leaning positive, it may be prudent to explore hedging strategies to mitigate potential price fluctuations while capitalizing on favorable market conditions.

🏭

For Consumers (Industrial/Utilities):

Consumers should prepare for potential cost fluctuations due to the anticipated high heating demand across various regions, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest.

The fundamental balance indicates a tightening supply, which may lead to increased prices. It is advisable to consider procurement strategies or hedging options to manage costs effectively in the coming weeks.

📊

For Commodity Professionals (Analysts, Consultants):

The energy market is currently exhibiting a bullish sentiment overall, with strong demand for natural gas driven by high heating needs. The fundamental balance is showing a significant negative shift, indicating supply constraints that could lead to upward price pressure.

Analysts should closely monitor the weather outlook and its implications on heating demand, alongside the ML price forecast which suggests a potential price increase. These factors could lead to shifts in market dynamics that warrant further exploration and analysis.

Disclaimer: This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice or specific buy/sell recommendations.