Today: 7 February 2026
Subscribe
Browse Category

Energy Markets News 2 January 2026 - 6 January 2026

Natural gas ETFs get hit as warm-weather outlook drags futures; UNG, BOIL, KOLD in focus

Natural gas ETFs get hit as warm-weather outlook drags futures; UNG, BOIL, KOLD in focus

New York, January 6, 2026, 06:38 EST — Premarket Natural gas-linked exchange-traded funds fell sharply in the last session as a warmer forecast knocked benchmark U.S. natural gas futures lower, and futures were down another 2.7% early Tuesday at about $3.43 per million British thermal units, or mmBtu. The move matters now because early January weather often drives winter heating demand, storage withdrawals and short-term price direction for Henry Hub gas — the U.S. benchmark. Retail investors use these ETFs to trade that swing without opening a futures account. Natural gas can turn on a forecast update. When models strip
6 January 2026
·····
Natural gas price stock UNG slides as Henry Hub futures tumble 5% on warm U.S. outlook

Natural gas price stock UNG slides as Henry Hub futures tumble 5% on warm U.S. outlook

New York, January 5, 2026, 14:17 EST — Regular session Shares of the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) fell about 4% on Monday as benchmark U.S. natural gas futures dropped more than 5% in winter trade. The NYSE Arca-listed fund was down 4.1% at $11.57, while the February Henry Hub contract fell 5.5% to $3.419 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), a standard unit for gas pricing. CME Group The move matters now because the market is still in the heart of the heating season, when a few degrees of temperature change can quickly rewrite demand expectations. Meteorologists are
5 January 2026
·····
Trump’s Venezuela Oil Takeover Push: PDVSA Cuts Output, Chevron and U.S. Refiners in Focus

Trump’s Venezuela Oil Takeover Push: PDVSA Cuts Output, Chevron and U.S. Refiners in Focus

NEW YORK, Jan 5, 2026, 02:44 ET — Market closed Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has started trimming crude output as a U.S. oil embargo — a government-ordered ban on trade — has choked off exports and squeezed storage capacity, sources familiar with the situation said. Reuters The cuts land as President Donald Trump moves to place the oil-rich nation under temporary American control after the U.S. captured President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, putting Venezuela’s oil policy — and who ultimately controls the barrels — at the center of the market’s next move. Reuters Why this matters now: Venezuela’s
5 January 2026
··
Venezuela oil exports hit zero after U.S. strike as PDVSA cuts output; Chevron shipments stall

Venezuela oil exports hit zero after U.S. strike as PDVSA cuts output; Chevron shipments stall

CARACAS, Jan 5, 2026, 02:46 ET — Market closed Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA has started cutting crude production as it runs short of storage space under a sweeping U.S. oil embargo and tanker blockade that has pushed exports to zero, people familiar with the matter said. More than 17 million barrels of crude and fuel are stuck on ships waiting to depart, according to tanker-tracking data. Reuters The move matters for markets because Venezuela’s oil sales are the country’s main source of hard currency, and PDVSA’s forced shut-ins risk spilling into refining and domestic fuel supply in the coming
5 January 2026
··
Venezuela oil exports freeze after U.S. Maduro raid: PDVSA warns of output cuts

Venezuela oil exports freeze after U.S. Maduro raid: PDVSA warns of output cuts

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 12:39 ET Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has asked some joint ventures to cut crude output as exports remain frozen after U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in a raid on Saturday, three people close to the decision said on Sunday. The move includes shutting oilfields or well clusters as onshore stocks rise and PDVSA runs short of diluents — light petroleum liquids used to thin extra-heavy crude so it can be shipped.  Reuters The export standstill matters because oil sales are Venezuela’s main source of hard-currency revenue, and storage fills quickly when tankers cannot
4 January 2026
··
Oil prices in focus after U.S. Venezuela strike: Brent, WTI set for volatile reopen

Oil prices in focus after U.S. Venezuela strike: Brent, WTI set for volatile reopen

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 12:52 ET Oil traders were braced for a volatile open on Sunday after Venezuela’s state-run PDVSA asked some joint ventures to cut crude output as a U.S. oil embargo froze exports following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro in a strike on Saturday, sources said. The company pointed to swelling inventories and a shortage of diluents — lighter oil used to thin heavy crude for shipment — the sources said.  Reuters Brent crude, the international benchmark, last settled at $60.75 a barrel on Friday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closed at $57.32. The global
4 January 2026
·
Oil prices on alert after U.S. strikes Venezuela, PDVSA says output intact

Oil prices on alert after U.S. strikes Venezuela, PDVSA says output intact

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 12:54 ET — Market closed Oil traders are bracing for the next crude-futures open after U.S. forces struck Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro, while state company PDVSA said production and refining were operating normally. Two people familiar with PDVSA operations said the attack did not damage oil facilities, though the port of La Guaira near Caracas was badly hit. A U.S. tanker blockade announced in December and the seizure of two Venezuelan crude cargoes already pushed exports to roughly half their November pace, according to monitoring data and internal documents. Reuters The Venezuela shock
3 January 2026
·
Natural gas price today slips on warmer outlook; UNG dips while LNG-linked stocks hold up

Natural gas price today slips on warmer outlook; UNG dips while LNG-linked stocks hold up

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 12:23 ET — Market closed U.S. natural gas futures closed out the week lower on Friday, with the benchmark contract at $3.618 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), a standard energy unit. Natural-gas-linked stocks and ETFs finished mixed heading into the weekend. Investing The retreat matters now because traders are repricing winter heating demand after forecasts tilted warmer through mid-January, just as storage withdrawals have been undershooting expectations. That combination can quickly loosen the supply-demand balance that drove late-2025 volatility. Baird Maritime / Work Boat World It also lands as U.S. production and export flows
3 January 2026
··
Oil prices stuck near $60 as OPEC+ decision looms after 2025’s steep slide

Oil prices stuck near $60 as OPEC+ decision looms after 2025’s steep slide

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 04:57 ET OPEC+ is expected to keep oil output steady through March when eight key members meet on Sunday, three delegates said. The alliance, which pumps about half the world’s crude, raised output targets by about 2.9 million barrels per day from April to December and then paused further hikes for the first quarter. Reuters The decision matters because even small shifts in supply can move benchmark crude prices that feed into transport costs, inflation and energy-company cash flow. Traders are looking for a clearer floor after a year in which surplus supply concerns dominated
3 January 2026
·····
Oil prices start 2026 near $60 after worst annual slump since 2020, with OPEC+ in focus

Oil prices start 2026 near $60 after worst annual slump since 2020, with OPEC+ in focus

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 04:10 ET Oil prices settled slightly lower on the first trading day of 2026 after Brent and U.S. crude posted their biggest annual loss since 2020, each falling nearly 20% in 2025, as investors weighed oversupply concerns and looked to a policy meeting on Sunday by OPEC+, the group of OPEC and allied producers such as Russia. Brent futures closed down 10 cents at $60.75 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate fell 10 cents to $57.32; Brent logged its third straight annual decline, its longest losing streak on record. “Oil prices are locked in
3 January 2026
·
Natural gas price stock today: UNG slips as U.S. futures start 2026 lower on warmer weather outlook

Natural gas price stock today: UNG slips as U.S. futures start 2026 lower on warmer weather outlook

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 17:06 ET — After-hours U.S. natural gas prices slid on Friday, and the main natural-gas tracking fund on U.S. exchanges moved with them. The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG), an exchange-traded fund that tracks near-dated U.S. natural gas futures, closed down 1.6% at $12.06 and was last at $12.04 in after-hours trading. StockAnalysis Front-month natural gas futures for February delivery were down 9.6 cents, or 2.6%, at $3.59 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), a standard energy unit used in U.S. gas trading. Baird Maritime / Work Boat World The timing matters because the
2 January 2026
··
Natural gas price today: Futures slip as Cheniere stock climbs on record U.S. LNG exports

Natural gas price today: Futures slip as Cheniere stock climbs on record U.S. LNG exports

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 13:44 ET — Regular session U.S. natural gas futures edged lower on Friday, while shares of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters and pipeline operators traded higher in a mixed energy tape. Barchart The moves matter now because winter heating demand can swing quickly with temperature forecasts, and U.S. LNG exports have become a bigger, steadier source of demand for domestic gas. Barchart They also matter for stocks because gas-focused producers are closely tied to price moves, while LNG exporters and pipeline operators tend to benefit from volumes moving through their plants and pipes. The February
2 January 2026
···
1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 14

Stock Market Today

No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

7 February 2026
The IRS has not announced new federal stimulus payments for February 2026, and Congress has not approved fresh checks. Trump told NBC he is considering $2,000 tariff rebate checks but has not committed, saying any payout would likely come later in 2026. The IRS warns taxpayers to ignore texts and emails about “stimulus payments” and verify notices through official channels.
Go toTop