Investing.com – U.S. natural gas prices jumped more than 1% on Thursday tracking gains in oil prices as successful truce talks between Iran and the U.S. become uncertain.
By 13:00 ET (17:00 GMT), the Natual Gas Futures – May 26 (NGK6) rose 1.07% at $2.538/mmbtu, according to data from the Intercontinental Exchange.
U.S. liquefied natural gas exports are projected to increase through 2027 as new production facilities come online, according to the Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook released Thursday.
The EIA forecasts U.S. net natural gas exports will rise 18% to 18.7 billion cubic feet per day in 2026, followed by an additional 10% gain to 20.5 billion cubic feet per day in 2027. LNG exports are expected to average 17.0 billion cubic feet per day in 2026, with a 9% increase projected for 2027.
Mediators have been maintaining an ongoing drive to forge a permanent halt to hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, as the end of a temporary two-week ceasefire later this month inches closer.
The U.S. and Iran have agreed in principle to hold fresh talks, after an initial round of negotiations last weekend in Pakistan did not yield an immediate deal, according to the Wall Street Journal. Citing officials familiar with the matter, the paper said both sides have not set a time or venue for the meeting.
Vice President JD Vance is due to lead the American delegation in any future discussions with the Iranians, the WSJ said.
Still, signs of friction remained, most notably over an ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. A top military commander in Iran has warned Washington not to continue the blockade, which U.S. Central Command has claimed has not been evaded by any Iranian-linked commercial ships or oil tankers.
Gen. Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed in a press briefing that the U.S. blockade only applies to Iranian ports and coastline, not the Strait of Hormuz.
European natural gas prices recovered some of the losses logged in the prior session on Thursday and the prices remained well above pre-war levels.
Along with the developments in Middle East peace talks, traders have been keeping tabs on investment funds dialing back their TTF net long positions by 37 terawatt hours to 271 TWh during the week ended April 10, according to ING.
“Clearly, the longer disruptions in the Middle East persist, the more competition we’ll see from Asia as buyers seek alternative supplies,” the ING analysts wrote.