US natural gas storage
Weekly change in US gas in storage, from the EIA.
The basics
Gas is pumped into storage from spring to autumn and drawn out over the winter to heat homes. This report says how much was added or taken out last week.
Compared with the forecast, it shows whether supply and demand are tighter or looser than traders thought.
How to read the result
- Above the forecast
- A bigger injection, or smaller withdrawal, than forecast means looser supply. Gas prices often fall.
- Below the forecast
- A smaller injection, or bigger withdrawal, than forecast means tighter supply. Gas prices often rise.
Going deeper
Traders compare total storage with the five-year average for the same week: a big shortfall going into winter makes prices more sensitive to cold weather forecasts.
Weather drives demand, so the forecast already includes last week’s temperatures; surprises usually come from power demand, exports of liquefied gas or production.
FAQs
- Why can the price move the “wrong” way?
- Prices already reflect the forecast, so markets react to the surprise, not the number itself. Other parts of the same release, revisions to earlier months or other news in the same hour can outweigh the headline figure, and a first move often reverses within the hour.
- Should I close my trade before the release?
- That is your decision; this page does not give advice. What is certain is that prices can jump in seconds around big releases, spreads widen, and a stop loss can close at a worse price than the one you set. Many traders check their position size and stop before the release.