| Did Inventory Figures Help Natural Gas Prices and Coal? | |
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Coal Stocks Rise and Utilities Fall during Bad Week for S&P 500 Natural gas inventory
Every Thursday, the EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) publishes a natural gas inventory report for the previous week. The latest report is for the week ended August 14. Throughout the year, natural gas is stored underground to save the fuel for peak demand during the winter. For the week ended August 14, inventory came in at 3,030 Bcf (billion cubic feet) compared to 2,977 Bcf a week earlier.
The inventory figure was higher than the 2,542 Bcf the year before and the five-year average of 2,950 Bcf. The change implies an addition of 53 Bcf to the underground inventory during the week of August 14. The addition came in lower than Wall Street analysts’ expectation of 59 Bcf.
Why is this report important?
Commodity prices are a function of supply and demand. If demand rises while supply remains constant, prices rise because more customers are chasing each unit of a commodity. In contrast, if supply rises for a given level of demand, prices fall because the commodity is available in abundance. Inventory levels reflect supply and demand trends, so they’re useful for getting a sense of natural gas prices.
Impact on coal
The natural gas inventory has risen over the past 20 weeks since injection season started. If the inventory is lower than expected, it indicates a lower-than-expected supply or higher-than-expected demand. This boosts natural gas prices. A rise in natural gas prices is positive for thermal coal producers, as utilities (XLU) burn more coal when natural gas prices rise. In the current low natural gas price environment, coal is losing market share to natural gas.
The fall in natural gas prices over the last few months has hurt coal producers (KOL), especially those with operations in the East and the Midwest like Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP), Natural Resource Partners (NRP), and Peabody Energy (BTU).
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Natural Resource Partners L.P.
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CODE : NRP |
ISIN : US63900P1030 |
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Natural Resources Partners est une société de production minière basée aux Etats-Unis D'Amerique. Natural Resources Partners détient divers projets d'exploration en USA. Son principal projet en exploration est D.D. SHEPARD en USA. Natural Resources Partners est cotée aux Etats-Unis D'Amerique. Sa capitalisation boursière aujourd'hui est 1,1 milliards US$ (1,0 milliards €). La valeur de son action a atteint son plus bas niveau récent le 24 juillet 2020 à 10,00 US$, et son plus haut niveau récent le 26 avril 2024 à 91,73 US$. Natural Resources Partners possède 12 241 602 actions en circulation. |