Nat-Gas Prices Plummet as US Weather Forecasts Warm

Core Insights - Natural gas prices have sharply declined, closing down by 7.92% to a five-week low due to forecasts of warmer weather in the US, which is expected to reduce heating demand [1] - Despite a larger-than-expected draw in weekly storage, natural gas prices fell, indicating that supply factors are currently dominating market sentiment [2] - Increased US natural gas production is contributing to bearish price pressure, with the EIA raising its 2025 production forecast to 107.74 billion cubic feet per day [3] Group 1: Price Movements - January natural gas prices closed down by 0.364, marking a 7.92% decrease [1] - Natural gas prices rallied to a nearly three-year high last Friday due to below-normal temperatures boosting heating demand [4] Group 2: Supply and Demand Dynamics - The EIA reported a draw of 177 billion cubic feet in natural gas inventories for the week ending December 5, exceeding market expectations of 170 billion cubic feet [2][7] - US dry gas production reached 112.4 billion cubic feet per day, reflecting an 8.3% year-over-year increase, while demand was at 112.3 billion cubic feet per day, up 5.1% year-over-year [5] Group 3: Market Conditions - The Edison Electric Institute reported a 2.3% year-over-year increase in US electricity output for the week ending December 6, which may support natural gas prices [6] - As of December 9, European gas storage was 72% full, compared to a five-year seasonal average of 81%, indicating a potential supply concern [7]