US natural gas stocks rose by 95 billion cubic feet in the week ended May 29, smaller than the 99 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET and following an increase of 92 billion cubic feet in the previous week.
Stocks at 2.578 trillion cubic feet are 0.1% lower than in the comparable week a year ago but 5.7% above their 5-year average.
Natural gas traded at a four-month high early Thursday ahead of fresh storage data as forecasts see hot weather on the way, boosting cooling demand.Gas for July delivery was last seen up $0.10 to US$3.31 per million British thermal units, the highest since Feb.6.The rise comes as long-term forecasts from the National Weather Service expect all states to see hotter than seasonal weather over its eight to 14 day outlook."Natural gas markets are finding renewed strength in weather outlooks that have above normal temperatures for most of the contiguous 48 extending over the next several weeks. Those temperatures are expected to add to power sector gas demands and firm up the fundamentals for the remainder of summer. The first test could come tomorrow and into the weekend where the northeast will see the mercury climb through 90 again," Gary Cunningham, Director Market Research at Tradition Energy, wrote.The Energy Information Administration will release its weekly survey of inventories of the fuel later on Thursday morning, with Celsius Energy expecting the agency to report stocks rose by 102-billion cubic feet, near the five-year average for the week.
Energy stocks were leaning lower premarket Thursday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) declining by 0.8%.The United States Oil Fund (USO) was down 3.2% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2% higher.Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 3.7% lower at $92.51 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil fell 3.1% to $94.77 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 2.5% at $3.29 per 1 million British Thermal Units.Expro Group (XPRO) shares were up more than 1% after the company said it has filed its definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding its proposed move to redomicile in the Cayman Islands from the Netherlands.TransAlta (TAC) said it has agreed to buy two natural gas-fired peaking facilities in Colorado from Blackstone units in a $1.0 billion deal, including $750 million of debt. TransAlta stock was down more than 5% premarket.DHT (DHT) secured a new $250 million revolving credit facility to strengthen financial flexibility and lengthen its debt maturity schedule, the company said. DHT shares were 0.1% lower pre-bell.
Financial stocks were edging higher pre-bell Thursday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advancing by 1.2%.The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 3.5% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 3.2% lower.Blackstone's (BX) Blackstone Private Credit Fund said repurchase requests equaled about 10% of shares outstanding in Q2, but it will fulfill requests representing just 5% of its value, according to media reports. Shares of Blackstone were up more than 1% premarket.Bank of America (BAC) is hiring Anshul Gupta from Avendus Capital to lead its investment banking operations in India, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. Bank of America stock was up more than 1% pre-bell.Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B) shares were down more than 1% after the company reported a decline in fiscal Q4 earnings.