Anticipation

After working natural gas futures values higher in Thursday morning trade in anticipation of a lean storage report, traders had their suspicions confirmed as the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that 60 Bcf was injected into underground stores for the week ending June 25. Following a day of spirited trading within a wide 40-cent range, August natural gas futures ended up finishing Thursday’s regular session at $4.854, up 23.8 cents from Wednesday’s close.

After dipping below $4 in anticipation of a bearish natural gas storage injection in Thursday morning’s report for the week ending March 19, confirmation that 11 Bcf was injected last week — two weeks earlier than normal — dropped April natural gas futures even lower before the contract closed at $3.981, down 12.4 cents from Wednesday’s close.

After dipping below $4 in anticipation of a bearish natural gas storage injection in Thursday morning’s report for the week ending March 19, confirmation that 11 Bcf was injected last week — two weeks earlier than normal — dropped April natural gas futures even lower before the contract closed at $3.981, down 12.4 cents from Wednesday’s close.

Considering a decline in service costs, acreage leasehold expirations, an increase in oil drilling and the anticipation of higher natural gas prices, U.S. rig count assumptions for 2010 weren’t optimistic enough, energy analysts said last week.

Considering a decline in service costs, acreage leasehold expirations, an increase in oil drilling and the anticipation of higher natural gas prices, U.S. rig count assumptions for 2010 weren’t optimistic enough, energy analysts said Tuesday.

January natural gas futures made another stout gain Tuesday as traders bought contracts in anticipation of continued cold weather.

Natural gas and oil prices are no longer connected, and strong gas supplies, the anticipation of warmer winters and a weak economy provide little evidence that prices will reconnect in the near future, according to Ernst & Young (E&Y). However, regulatory pressure to decrease carbon emissions could lift gas demand and prices, E&Y said Monday in its 4Q2009 outlook for the energy industry.

Natural gas and oil prices are no longer connected, and strong gas supplies, the anticipation of warmer winters and a weak economy provide little evidence that prices will reconnect in the near future, according to Ernst & Young (E&Y). However, regulatory pressure to decrease carbon emissions could lift gas demand and prices, E&Y said Monday in its 4Q2009 outlook for the energy industry.

In anticipation of a robust market for carbon emissions credits, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is discussing how to keep track of what could become the largest commodity market in the world ($2 trillion within five years) if climate change legislation becomes law later this year.