Natural Gas Radar

2026-04-17 23:47

Table of Contents

Brian's Thoughts

Published: 04/17/2026 Focus: Natural Gas
HH at $2.70 is bouncing off recent lows but structurally pinned by the same forces that have been in place for weeks: storage at 1,911 Bcf (4.8% above 5yr avg), injection season running hot with back-to-back beats (50 Bcf and 59 Bcf the past two EIA reports vs. ~46 Bcf consensus), production near 109 Bcf/d and rising, and warm weather forecast through early May keeping heating demand near zero. The paradox hasn't moved — LNG exports are running 18.9 Bcf/d near-record and the HH–TTF arb at ~$12.30 is screaming, but terminal capacity is the hard ceiling on how many molecules can leave. Spot gas is a domestic story, not a global one, and domestically everything points lower. The one thing keeping traders from getting aggressively short: the December 2026 contract at $4.70 and Jan 2027 at $5.10 are still pricing serious winter risk, which means any sharp move lower in spot invites calendar spread buyers. $2.40 is the floor to watch — Haynesville break-even country. Below that, expect producer curtailments that actually bite into the supply overhang.

Today's Update

Updated: 2026-04-17 23:46:35 Length: 526 chars
Natural gas prices are currently at $2.70, buoyed by recent weather forecasts predicting warmer temperatures, which could increase air-conditioning demand. Despite this, the market remains under pressure due to high storage levels (1,911 Bcf, 4.8% above the 5-year average) and robust production near 109 Bcf/d. While near-record LNG exports (18.9 Bcf/d) offer some optimism, the domestic landscape points lower. A critical floor to watch is $2.40, as slipping below could prompt producer cutbacks and tighter supply dynamics.

Executive Summary

Total supply decreased by 2.2 BCFD | Total demand decreased by 1.81 BCFD | Market is undersupplied by 2.52 BCFD

Technical Analysis

Overall Technical Score (-5 to +5): -2 (Moderately Bearish)
Current Price: $2.67
Signal: Moderately Bearish

Moving Averages (9/20)

BEARISH

MA(9): $2.67

MA(20): $2.81

Current Price is 2.67, 9 day MA 2.67, 20 day MA 2.81

MACD (12, 26, 9)

BEARISH

MACD: -0.1329

Signal: -0.1306

Days since crossover: 8

MACD crossed the line 8 days ago and is in a bearish setup

RSI (14)

NEUTRAL

Value: 39.77

Category: NEUTRAL

RSI is 39.77 (note 70% is overbought and 30% is oversold)

Volume (vs 20d Avg)

LOWER

Current: 100,079

Avg (20d): 117,152

Ratio: 0.85

Volume is lower versus 20 day average

Stochastic (14, 3)

BULLISH CROSS

%K: 22.98

%D: 15.65

Stochastic %K: 22.98, %D: 15.65. Signal: bullish cross

ADX (14)

NO TREND

ADX: 8.91

+DI: 19.25

-DI: 19.66

ADX: 8.91 (+DI: 19.25, -DI: 19.66). Trend: no trend

Williams %R (14)

NEUTRAL

Value: -77.02

Williams %R: -77.02 (neutral zone)

Bollinger Bands (20, 2)

BELOW MIDDLE

Upper: 3.12

Middle: 2.81

Lower: 2.5

Price vs BBands (20, 2): below middle. Upper: 3.12, Middle: 2.81, Lower: 2.5

Fundamental Analysis

Category Current (BCFD) Last Week Last Year 3 Yr Avg
Dry Production 107.4 108.7 106.3 102.43
LNG Imports 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.07
Canadian Imports 4.3 5.2 5.9 5.23
Total Supply 111.7 113.9 112.3 107.73
Industrial Demand 21.1 23.2 23.3 23.1
Electric Power Demand 34.0 29.6 28.6 29.0
Residential & Commercial 24.7 29.0 21.1 21.0
LNG Exports 19.0 18.8 16.8 14.37
Mexico Exports 6.6 6.6 6.3 5.77
Pipeline Fuel 8.83 8.83 6.9 7.47
Total Demand 114.22 116.03 103.0 100.77
Supply/Demand Balance -2.52 -2.13 9.3 6.97

Weather Analysis

Natural Gas Weather Impact: MODERATE heating demand - typical winter conditions (BELOW normal heating demand) (Heating-dominated conditions driving natural gas demand)

Weather Analysis Summary

Heating Degree Days (Utility Gas Weighted)
Last 7 Days: 56.0 HDD -40.0 vs Normal
Next 7 Days: 62.0 HDD -13.0 vs Normal
Cooling Degree Days (Population Weighted)
Last 7 Days: 14.0 CDD +7.0 vs Normal
Next 7 Days: 13.0 CDD +2.0 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
04/09 12.0 15.0 -3.0
04/10 10.0 15.0 -5.0
04/11 11.0 14.0 -3.0
04/12 9.0 14.0 -5.0
04/13 6.0 13.0 -7.0
04/14 4.0 13.0 -9.0
04/15 4.0 12.0 -8.0
HDD Forecast
Date HDD Normal Anomaly
04/17 5.0 12.0 -7.0
04/18 8.0 11.0 -3.0
04/19 12.0 11.0 +1.0
04/20 14.0 10.0 +4.0
04/21 10.0 10.0 +0.0
04/22 6.0 11.0 -5.0
04/23 7.0 10.0 -3.0
Recent CDD Data
Date CDD Normal Anomaly
04/09 1.0 1.0 +0.0
04/10 1.0 1.0 +0.0
04/11 1.0 1.0 +0.0
04/12 1.0 1.0 +0.0
04/13 2.0 1.0 +1.0
04/14 4.0 1.0 +3.0
04/15 4.0 1.0 +3.0
CDD Forecast
Date CDD Normal Anomaly
04/17 4.0 1.0 +3.0
04/18 3.0 1.0 +2.0
04/19 1.0 1.0 +0.0
04/20 1.0 2.0 -1.0
04/21 1.0 2.0 -1.0
04/22 1.0 2.0 -1.0
04/23 2.0 2.0 +0.0
Data Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Region: CONUS Climatology: 1981-2010 Normal Period

Economic Analysis

Economic Sentiment Summary

POSITIVE - Economic indicators generally supportive
Dollar Impact: Strong USD may pressure commodity prices
Industrial Demand: Strong industrial demand signals
Interest Rate Impact: Stable/lower rates may support demand
Risk Sentiment: Low market volatility/risk appetite

Economic Indicators

USD_INDEX

98.23
Daily: 0.01 (0.01%)
Weekly: -0.14 (-0.15%)

US_10Y

4.25
Daily: -0.06 (-1.46%)
Weekly: -0.05 (-1.19%)

SP500

7126.06
Daily: 84.78 (1.2%)
Weekly: 239.82 (3.48%)

VIX

17.48
Daily: -0.46 (-2.56%)
Weekly: -1.64 (-8.58%)

GOLD

4849.4
Daily: 64.0 (1.34%)
Weekly: 107.0 (2.26%)

COPPER

6.08
Daily: 0.01 (0.25%)
Weekly: 0.11 (1.77%)

CFTC Commitment of Traders Analysis

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

Report Date: 2026-04-14
Sentiment: Bearish and Strengthening
Positioning: Normal Range

Open Interest

1,585,240
Change: +26,377

Managed Money

-114,095
Change: -28,062
-7.2% of OI

Producer/Merchant

-10,542
Change: -1,114
-0.7% of OI

Swap Dealers

181,454
Change: +9,939
11.4% of OI

Other Reportables

-72,793
Change: +25,161
-4.6% of OI

Analysis Rationale (Managed Money):

  • Managed Money sentiment: bearish and strengthening

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

Report Date: 2026-04-14
Sentiment: Bullish and Strengthening
Positioning: Normal Range

Open Interest

2,094,492
Change: +56,635

Managed Money

98,368
Change: +19,668
4.7% of OI

Producer/Merchant

293,996
Change: +883
14.0% of OI

Swap Dealers

-540,931
Change: -17,352
-25.8% of OI

Analysis Rationale (Managed Money):

  • Managed Money sentiment: bullish and strengthening

LNG Market Analysis

LNG Market Summary

TTF prices increased to 15.321 EUR/MWh (+0.162). JKM prices remained stable to 19.198 USD/MMBtu (+0.000). JKM is trading at a premium of 3.877 to TTF, indicating strong Asian demand.

TTF Prices

15.321

+0.162

Front month: MAY 26

As of 2026-04-17

JKM Prices

19.198

+0.000

Front month: MAY 26

As of 2026-04-17

JKM-TTF Spread

3.877

25.31%

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

As of 2026-04-17

Forward Curves Visualization
TTF (EUR/MWh)
JKM (USD/MMBtu)
19.9
17.8
15.7
13.6
11.5
15.32
19.20
MAY 26
14.64
16.13
JUN 26
14.66
16.09
JUL 26
14.67
15.89
AUG 26
14.70
15.48
SEP 26
14.67
15.17
OCT 26
14.59
15.31
NOV 26
14.63
15.28
DEC 26
14.60
15.06
JAN 27
14.48
14.53
FEB 27
13.92
13.19
MAR 27
12.33
12.16
APR 27
TTF Forward Curve (Next 12 Months)
Month Price (EUR/MWh)
MAY 26 15.321
JUN 26 14.644
JUL 26 14.660
AUG 26 14.670
SEP 26 14.702
OCT 26 14.667
NOV 26 14.590
DEC 26 14.632
JAN 27 14.600
FEB 27 14.481
MAR 27 13.924
APR 27 12.331
JKM Forward Curve (Next 12 Months)
Month Price (USD/MMBtu)
MAY 26 19.198
JUN 26 16.130
JUL 26 16.090
AUG 26 15.890
SEP 26 15.485
OCT 26 15.170
NOV 26 15.315
DEC 26 15.275
JAN 27 15.065
FEB 27 14.525
MAR 27 13.185
APR 27 12.160

LNG Flows Analysis

LNG Flows Summary

2026-03-18 to 2026-04-07
Latest LNG Flow 17.80 BCF/D
Daily Change -1.60 (-8.2%)
30-Day Average
19.00
BCF/D
30-Day High
19.50
BCF/D
30-Day Low
17.80
BCF/D
Data Points
21
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
2026-03-29 19.50 N/A
2026-03-30 19.40 -0.10
2026-03-31 18.90 -0.50
2026-04-01 18.80 -0.10
2026-04-02 19.00 +0.20
2026-04-03 19.00 +0.00
2026-04-04 19.00 +0.00
2026-04-05 19.30 +0.30
2026-04-06 19.40 +0.10
2026-04-07 17.80 -1.60

News & Sentiment Analysis

Fibonacci Levels Analysis

Current Price: $2.67
Closest Support: $2.56 4.12% below current price
Closest Resistance: $3.8 42.32% above current price

Fibonacci Retracement Levels

0.0 $2.56 Support
0.236 $3.8 Resistance
0.382 $4.57
0.5 $5.19
0.618 $5.82
0.786 $6.7
1.0 $7.83

Fibonacci Extension Levels

1.272 $9.26
1.618 $11.08
2.0 $13.09
2.618 $16.35

ML Price Prediction

Current Price: $2.65
Forecast Generated: 2026-04-17 23:47:30
Next Trading Day: UP 0.1%
Date Prediction Lower Bound Upper Bound
2026-04-17 $2.65 $2.48 $2.82
2026-04-18 $2.65 $2.48 $2.83
2026-04-19 $2.65 $2.48 $2.82
2026-04-20 $2.65 $2.48 $2.82
2026-04-21 $2.65 $2.48 $2.82

ML Insights

  • Forecast generated using ARIMA(5, 1, 0).
  • The model predicts a price increase of ~0.10% for the next trading day (2026-04-17), reaching $2.65.
  • The 5-day forecast suggests relatively stable prices between 2026-04-17 and 2026-04-21.
  • The average confidence interval width is ~12.9% of the predicted price, indicating model uncertainty.
  • SIGNAL: Weak bullish signal, high uncertainty.

AI Analysis

💹

For Energy Traders:

The current market sentiment is bearish, with a technical interpretation scoring -2/5. This suggests potential downward pressure on prices. Key Fibonacci support is at 2.56, while resistance is at 3.8. Traders should be cautious of volatility as the ML forecast indicates a slight potential uptick of 0.10% in the next day, with a trading range from 2.48 to 2.82. Watch for any shifts in news sentiment and weather forecasts that could impact short-term trading strategies.

For Producers (Oil & Gas Companies):

The fundamental balance shows a deficit of -2.52 BCFD, indicating a tighter supply situation that may warrant adjustments in production planning. With a bearish market sentiment and negative indicators for natural gas, producers should consider hedging strategies to mitigate risks associated with price declines. The ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly related to crude oil, may also affect operational decisions and market positioning.

🏭

For Consumers (Industrial/Utilities):

With moderate heating demand expected in the residential and commercial sectors, consumers should prepare for potential cost fluctuations in the near term. The current market sentiment is bearish, which may lead to lower prices, but the risk of supply disruptions remains due to geopolitical factors and the overall fundamental balance. Consider reviewing procurement strategies and potential hedging options to manage costs effectively.

📊

For Commodity Professionals (Analysts, Consultants):

The energy market is currently facing a bearish sentiment, with a technical score of -2/5 and a fundamental balance deficit of -2.52 BCFD. The weather outlook indicates moderate heating demand, which may influence short-term price movements. The convergence of these factors suggests a challenging environment for price stability. Analysts should monitor ML forecasts and geopolitical developments closely to assess potential shifts in market dynamics.

Disclaimer: This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a financial advisor for personalized recommendations.