Warmer US Weather Forecasts Knock Nat-Gas Prices Lower

Group 1: Natural Gas Price Movements - January Nymex natural gas prices closed down by -0.081 (-1.65%) after reaching a 3-year nearest-futures high, influenced by warmer weather forecasts reducing heating demand [1] - Negative carryover from a decline in European natural gas prices, which fell to a 1.5-year low, also weighed on US natural gas prices [2] - Initial price rally was driven by forecasts of below-normal temperatures in the Northeast and Great Lakes, but this was reversed by subsequent warmer forecasts [2] Group 2: Production and Demand Dynamics - Higher US natural gas production is a bearish factor, with the EIA raising its 2025 production forecast by +1.0% to 107.67 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/day) [3] - US dry gas production was reported at 112.7 bcf/day (+7.5% year-over-year), while gas demand was at 114.8 bcf/day (+1.5% year-over-year) [4] - Estimated LNG net flows to US export terminals decreased to 17.6 bcf/day (-2.1% week-over-week) [4] Group 3: Electricity Output and Inventory Levels - US electricity output rose by +5.33% year-over-year to 75,586 GWh for the week ending November 15, supporting gas prices [5] - Natural gas inventories fell by -11 bcf for the week ending November 21, which was a larger draw than market consensus but less than the 5-year average [6] - As of November 21, natural gas inventories were down -0.8% year-over-year and +4.2% above the 5-year seasonal average, indicating adequate supply levels [6]