Natural gas price jumps above $5 as deep-freeze forecast tightens supply — storage report looms
New York, January 22, 2026, 06:30 EST — Premarket U.S. natural gas prices surged once more in early Thursday trading, with the Henry Hub benchmark climbing past $5 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). Front-month futures gained roughly 10%, hitting about $5.38 per mmBtu by 5:58 a.m. EST. (markets.businessinsider.com) This matters because gas not only heats homes but also powers a significant share of U.S. electricity. When forecasts turn colder, demand often jumps quicker than supply can catch up. Traders are also monitoring “freeze-offs” — those periods when extreme cold clogs wells and gathering systems — even as liquefied natural