New York, January 18, 2026, 07:46 EST — The market has closed.
- Venture Global shares jumped 10.6% on Friday, pushing their strong rebound further into the holiday-shortened week.
- Spot LNG prices climbed as colder late-January forecasts emerged, boosting sentiment among U.S. LNG-linked stocks.
- After slashing its 2025 profit forecast, the company faces investor scrutiny over ongoing shipping bottlenecks and potential legal risks.
Shares of Venture Global Inc (NYSE:VG) jumped 10.6% on Friday, closing at $8.80 after moving between $7.96 and $8.81 during the day. Trading volume hit roughly 15.4 million shares.
This matters as U.S. equity markets remain closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, extending the break after a turbulent spell for the LNG exporter. Trading picks back up Tuesday, when investors must judge whether Friday’s rally has staying power or was just a squeeze in thin trading. (New York Stock Exchange)
Other LNG-related stocks ended Friday on a positive note. Cheniere Energy climbed around 2%, and developer NextDecade jumped about 4%.
Gas exporters are seeing a boost as spot LNG prices in Asia hit a six-week peak. March deliveries to Northeast Asia are now pegged at about $10.10 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). “The weather outlook across Northeast Asia and Europe has turned colder week-on-week,” noted Kesher Sumeet, senior LNG analyst at Energy Aspects. Meanwhile, Argus LNG pricing head Martin Senior pointed out that “European delivered prices have risen sharply this week.” Reuters also highlighted that heating degree days—a key metric for heating demand—are expected to exceed normal levels in late January. (Reuters)
Venture Global’s outlook remains unsettled. The company slashed its full-year 2025 core profit forecast—adjusted EBITDA, the profit measure excluding interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization—to $6.18 billion–$6.24 billion, down from $6.35 billion–$6.50 billion. The revision stems from volatile LNG prices, tight shipping capacity—especially in the Atlantic basin—and fluctuations in Henry Hub, the U.S. gas benchmark. In Q4 2025, it exported 128 cargoes but highlighted a significant gap in “liquefaction fees” (the charge buyers pay to convert gas into LNG) between its spot-heavy Plaquemines facility and the contract-driven Calcasieu Pass plant. Shares have tumbled more than 70% since the IPO, while the company grapples with several arbitration cases related to earlier commissioning delays, Reuters reported. (Reuters)
VG is effectively running on two fronts. Rising spot prices boost cash flow for plants unloading uncontracted cargoes. Yet, the real focus remains on execution—how long plants stay operational, when maintenance kicks in, and if shipping stays flexible enough to keep shipments flowing.
The downside risk is clear. Should the late-January cold snap ease, spot LNG prices could drop sharply. The stock has proven prone to overreacting in either direction. New legal developments around arbitration or a resurgence of shipping delays would probably weigh on sentiment once more.
Trading kicks back in on Tuesday, and investors will be looking for clues about when the company might announce its next earnings and guidance update. According to Investing.com, the next report is set for March 5. (Investing)
Right now, the market’s immediate signals are clear: LNG benchmarks, updates to the weather, and if the spike on Friday sparks genuine follow-through buying when desks return from the holiday.
