The spot month selloff continued yesterday despite a larger than normal storage injection. Prices added to daily losses immediately following the report with the day over day decline expanding throughout the session. The market remains focused on the upcoming warmer weather pattern and lower LNG exports which fell to a 1 year low this week. Feb futures settled Thursday’s trade down 17.3 cents at $2.697.
The EIA reported a withdrawal of 154 BCF for the week ended Jan 12. The draw came in 10 BCF shy of expectations but greatly exceeded last year’s pull of 68 BCF and the 5 yr avg pull of 126 BCF. Gas in storage totals 3.182 TCF, 350 BCF above last year and BCF above the 5 yr avg. The Midwest accounted for the largest pull for the week, coming in at 51 BCF, 9% higher than normal for the week.
Projections for the week in progress suggest a withdrawal of 368 for the week in progress which would be almost 2 ½ times larger than the 5 yr avg pull of 148 BCF.
Output levels are on the rebound after plunging this past week due to freeze offs and extreme cold. Production fell to 91.2 BCF/day on Jan 16 but has since risen back to 99.7 BCF/day as of this morning. Month to date, production is averaging 100.1 BCF/day, down 0.8 BCF/day from Jan 2023. The next 7 days should see output average 100.6 BCF/day.
The February 24 natural gas contract closed down for a 4th consecutive day this week as early strength failed under 10 day moving average resistance.
With resistance holding, the February contract sold off into the close ending the day at 2.697, down .173 (6%).
The February contract has lost .615 or 18.5% so far this week and is down again today breaking under a key area of support.
This support near the 2.650-2.660 level is both the 200 day moving average and trend line support beginning at the mid-December 2.235 low.
If weakness holds, 2.400 will become the next longer term support followed by the 2.235 December low.
If the February contract can close back over 2.650-2.660 support today, it may bring in short-covering early next week.
Moving Average Alignment – Neutral
Long Term Trend Following Index – Bullish
Short Term Trend Following Index – Bearish
Relative Strength Index – 43.56
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