Financial Wire

受美伊外交信号疲软的影响,美国天然气基本面承压,周跌幅扩大。

-- 由于库存积压,美国天然气期货价格连续第二周下跌,而库存积压的原因是产量相对强劲,且淡季需求疲软。 近月合约价格本周跌至每百万英热单位2.68美元,低于4月10日的2.72美元/百万英热单位。 Pinebrook Energy Advisors在一份每日报告中指出:“尽管短期市场整体仍偏空,但本周天然气期货的交易区间异常狭窄,波动性有限。” 本周伊始,有报道称美国封锁了霍尔木兹海峡。上周五,美国总统特朗普和伊朗官员发表声明,表示该水道将保持开放。据报道,双方计划在周末举行进一步会谈。 彭博社分析称,这一消息引发了石油市场的暴跌,并导致包括美国天然气合约在内的能源相关基金立即出现资金外流。尽管美国天然气的短期供需前景基本保持不变,但仍出现了这一趋势。 唐纳德·特朗普总统在Truth Social网站上发帖称,伊朗已宣布霍尔木兹海峡“完全开放,可供全面通行”。 美国能源信息署(EIA)发布的《每周天然气库存补充报告》显示,截至4月15日当周,2026年5月交割的纽约商品交易所(Nymex)天然气期货合约价格下跌0.11美元,至2.61美元/百万英热单位(MMBtu),而前一周为2.72美元/百万英热单位。 EIA数据显示,截至4月15日当周,天然气现货价格下跌0.05美元,至2.75美元/百万英热单位,而前一周为2.80美元/百万英热单位。此次下跌主要归因于居民和商业部门的需求下降了31%,至每日64亿立方英尺。 大多数区域枢纽的现货价格波动较大,从瓦哈枢纽(Waha Hub)下跌4.38美元/百万英热单位到阿尔冈昆城门(Algonquin Citygate)上涨0.23美元/百万英热单位不等。 本周西部各枢纽天然气价格基本持平,大部分地区交易价格在每百万英热单位(MMBtu)1美元左右。西北萨马斯和南加州边境地区的价格低于这一水平,主要原因是需求疲软,且气温平均为华氏56.9度。 美国能源信息署(EIA)报告称,截至4月10日当周,天然气净流入量为590亿立方英尺(Bcf),高于前一周的500亿立方英尺,使天然气总库存达到19700亿立方英尺。 去年同期,EIA报告的净流入量为220亿立方英尺,而过去五年同期平均净流入量为380亿立方英尺。根据Investing.com汇编的数据,本周的数据也高于此前预测的550亿立方英尺。 目前天然气总库存为19700亿立方英尺(Bcf),比去年同期高出1260亿立方英尺,增幅7%;比五年同期平均水平高出1080亿立方英尺,增幅6%。 截至4月10日当周,所有地区的天然气库存均有所增加,其中中南部地区的增幅最大,达320亿立方英尺,使其总库存达到8390亿立方英尺。美国能源信息署(EIA)报告称,山区和太平洋沿岸地区的增幅分别为20亿立方英尺和60亿立方英尺。 据Pinebrook Energy Advisors预测,由于全国大部分地区受天气影响需求疲软,天然气库存增幅应会“至少持续到4月底”。 本月大部分时间的天气预报都较为悲观,但情况可能会有所转变。据美国国家气象局预测,4月24日至30日期间,美国中部大片地区的气温预计将低于正常水平。 本周共有35艘液化天然气运输船离开美国港口,低于前一周的37艘。这些船舶的总运力为1330亿立方英尺(Bcf),比前一周减少了70亿立方英尺。 与此同时,根据贝克休斯公司周五公布的数据,截至4月17日当周,美国天然气钻井平台数量减少了2座,从前一周的127座降至125座。而一年前,美国共有106座天然气钻井平台在运营。 北美油气钻井平台总数(未来产量水平的关键早期指标)减少了7座,从前一周的680座降至673座。 在国际市场上,截至4月15日当周,欧洲TTF天然气平均价格为每百万英热单位(MMBtu)15.23美元,比前一周下降了1.65美元。日韩原油期货均价为每百万英热单位19.38美元,比前一周下跌约0.47美元/百万英热单位。

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Weekly Crude Prices Decline as Iran Reopens Strait of Hormuz, Easing Risk Premium

Crude prices tumbled after Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, bolstering optimism that the US-Iran conflict will de-escalate and ease disruptions to global energy markets.West Texas Intermediate closed Friday at $85.57/bbl, down from $95.63/bbl the previous week, while Brent futures settled at $91.78/bbl, down from $94.36/bbl a week earlier.WTI futures plunged 13.2% over the week, while Brent prices declined 3.4%.The retreat follows the announcement by the US and Iran that the Strait of Hormuz would be open for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping during the ceasefire period, easing concerns over potential disruptions to global oil flows."In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," Araghchi posted on X.Subsequently, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday that Iran had declared the Strait of Hormuz "fully open and ready for full passage," adding that the US blockade of Iranian ports is still in effect.Analysts, however, have cautioned against viewing this as a lasting de-escalation, citing the fragility of the ceasefire."The opening of Hormuz was made possible by a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. However, this can be only described as a temporary and tenuous agreement," said Viktor Shvets, head of Global Desk Strategy at Macquarie Capital.Five empty tankers have reportedly arrived at Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf in recent days and begun loading crude oil, while Kpler said on Friday that early vessel movements, including those linked to Adnoc LNG operations near Das Island, pointed to a cautious return of activity."In the near term, it is more likely to improve logistics than create new supply," Claire Jungman, a Vortexa analyst, toldon Friday.She added that many barrels were delayed or queued rather than removed from the market, so reopening should help crude, liquefied petroleum gas, and liquefied natural gas cargoes resume movement.In a Friday note, Rystad Energy strategists said tanker network normalization could take 6-8 weeks, with insurers and shipowners needing 2-5 weeks to resume operations and upstream output recovering in another 2-6 weeks, largely occurring simultaneously.Commerzbank analysts said that while the war premium eased on Friday, the long-term outlook remains bullish as the world grapples with the loss of Middle Eastern infrastructure.The International Energy Agency confirmed a massive "Asian supply gap," reporting that zero new tankers were loaded in the Persian Gulf during the entire month of March.Meanwhile, North Sea crude prices declined by about $7 per barrel, while Brent plunged 13% to about $86/bbl after the update on the Strait of Hormuz reopening, according to a Bloomberg analysis on Friday.Key North Sea grades and US WTI Midland also declined $5-$7/bbl in a Platts pricing window run by S&P Global, reflecting a sharp shift in sentiment following the announcement, the Bloomberg analysis said.WTI Midland's premium over Dated Brent narrowed to $10.40/bbl, its lowest level this month and more than 50% below its April 14 peak, the analysis added.Brent prices were in backwardation relative to prompt physical North Sea barrels earlier this month. The new developments, however, reflect a drop in the prompt risk premium and physical differentials."Physical oil prices-prompt barrels rather than June futures-have fallen sharply from $144 on April 7 to around $116 today," J.P. Morgan analysts said.Meanwhile, International Energy Agency Chief Fatih Birol reportedly said that it will take two years to recover the energy output lost in the Middle East conflict.On the supply front, US crude stockpiles fell by 900,000 barrels to 463.8 mmbbls in the week ended April 10, the Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report on Wednesday.Crude inventories are now about 1% above the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said.The US oil rig count dropped by one from 411 the previous week to 410 in the week ending April 17, according to data from Baker Hughes (BKR) released Friday. That compares with 473 oil rigs in operation a year earlier.The consolidated North American oil and gas rig count, a key early indicator of future production levels, dropped by seven to 673 from 680 the previous week.Money managers in the WTI crude futures and options markets maintained their net long positions in the week ended April 14, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's latest Commitments of Traders report released Friday.The data showed that money managers reported 226,150 long positions, up 3,059 from April 7, while short positions were down 3,347 to 81,907.

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US Natural Gas Extends Weekly Losses on Bearish Fundamentals Amid US-Iran Diplomacy Signals

US natural gas futures posted another weekly decline amid swelling inventories, driven by relatively strong production and weak shoulder-season demand.The front-month contract price fell over the week to $2.68 per million British thermal units, from $2.72/MMBtu on April 10."Natural gas futures traded in an unusually tight range this week, with limited volatility despite a near-term backdrop that remains broadly bearish," Pinebrook Energy Advisors said in a daily note.The week that started with a reported US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz ended Friday with statements from US President Donald Trump and Iranian officials indicating the waterway would remain open. Further talks are reportedly scheduled for the weekend.The update triggered a sharp selloff in oil, prompting immediate financial outflows from energy-linked funds that include US natural gas contracts, according to a Bloomberg analysis. The move came even as the near-term supply-demand outlook for US gas remains largely unchanged.President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran had declared the Strait of Hormuz "fully open and ready for full passage."For the week ended April 15, the May 2026 Nymex contract was down $0.11 at $2.61/MMBtu, compared with $2.72/MMBtu the prior week, the Energy Information Administration's Weekly Gas Storage Supplement said.Natural gas spot prices fell by $0.05 to $2.75/MMBtu during the week ended April 15, according to the EIA, from $2.80/MMBtu a week earlier. This decline was largely attributed to a 31% drop in demand from the residential and commercial sectors, to 6.4 billion cubic feet per day.Spot prices varied across most regional hubs, from a $4.38/MMBtu decline at the Waha Hub to a $0.23/MMBtu increase at Algonquin Citygate.Prices across western hubs were relatively unchanged during the week, with most trading around $1/MMBtu. Northwest Sumas and the SoCal Border regions were below this mark, largely due to flat demand, as temperatures averaged 56.9 degrees Fahrenheit.The EIA reported a net injection of 59 Bcf into storage for the week ended April 10, up from a net injection of 50 Bcf the previous week, bringing total gas inventories to 1,970 Bcf.During the same week last year, the EIA reported a net injection of 22 Bcf, while the five-year average for this period was an injection of 38 Bcf. This week's figures were also above the 55 Bcf forecast, according to data compiled by Investing.com.Total gas inventories at 1,970 Bcf are now 126 Bcf, or 7%, above the corresponding period a year ago, and 108 Bcf, or 6%, higher than the five-year average for this period.Working gas in storage rose across all regions for the week ended April 10, with South Central seeing the biggest inflow at 32 Bcf, taking its total inventories to 839 Bcf. The Mountain and Pacific regions saw injections of 2 Bcf and 6 Bcf, respectively, the EIA reported.According to Pinebrook Energy Advisors, storage injections should continue growing at a healthy rate "through at least the end of April," amid tepid weather-related demand across most parts of the country.Weather forecasts had been bearish for most of this month, but conditions may shift, with large swathes of the Central US expected to see below-normal temperatures from April 24 to April 30, according to the National Weather Service.A total of 35 liquefied natural gas-carrying vessels left US ports during the week, down from 37 vessels the previous week. The total capacity of these vessels stood at 133 Bcf, down 7 Bcf from the prior week.Meanwhile, the US gas rig count decreased by two, from 127 the previous week to 125 in the week ending April 17, according to data from Baker Hughes released Friday. That compares with 106 gas rigs in operation a year earlier.The consolidated North American oil and gas rig count, a key early indicator of future production levels, dropped by seven to 673 from 680 the previous week.In international markets, European TTF gas prices averaged $15.23/MMBtu for the week ended April 15, $1.65/MMBtu lower than the previous week. The Japan-Korea Marker averaged $19.38/MMBtu, about $0.47/MMBtu lower than the prior week.

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Insider Trading

Ouster Insider Sold Shares Worth $754,395, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Mark Frichtl, Chief Technology Officer, on April 17, 2026, sold 30,000 shares in Ouster (OUST) for $754,395. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Frichtl has control over a total of 712,297 common shares of the company, with 712,297 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1816581/000119312526161906/xslF345X05/ownership.xml

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