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European Gas Eases From 5-Month High But Heads for Third Weekly Gain
European natural gas prices pulled back from five-month highs on Friday but remained on course for a third consecutive weekly gain, as persistent concerns over low storage inventories and potential supply disruptions continue to underpin the market.
Prices Retreat on Diplomatic Hopes
Benchmark Dutch front-month futures and equivalent British wholesale gas contracts eased during Friday's session after touching their highest levels since March 19 earlier in the week. The decline followed reports that regional mediators, including Qatar and Oman, had started talks with Washington and Tehran to secure safe commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Investing.com.
The prospect of a diplomatic solution to shipping tensions in the Persian Gulf helped unwind some of the geopolitical risk premium that had built into prices. Concerns had been escalating over potential disruptions to liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from major producer Qatar.
Low Storage Levels Support Market
Despite the session's pullback, prices are holding substantial weekly gains due to tight underlying market fundamentals. The primary driver is the low level of natural gas in storage across the continent ahead of the winter heating season.
Ad- Data from Gas Infrastructure Europe shows underground storage across the European Union is filled to approximately 62% of total capacity.
- This is a significant deficit compared to the five-year seasonal average of nearly 79% for this time of year.
This shortfall in storage replenishment has been exacerbated by high summer power demand and ongoing routine maintenance across Norwegian offshore gas fields, which has constrained supply.
Market Outlook
The considerable storage deficit suggests a high structural risk premium will remain embedded in European gas prices. The market is expected to stay highly sensitive to any news related to LNG supply chains and geopolitical developments in the Middle East as traders assess the continent's energy security for the coming winter.
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