Natural gas could not overcome Tuesday’s $2.162 swing high and make the push for key resistance and the gateway for a much more bullish outlook at $2.21. Instead, prices fell and took out the 38 percent retracement of the move up from $1.649. This is bearish for the near-term but doe not mean that the move up is over. Rather, as suspected for the past few weeks, prices are still settling into a wide and volatile trading range.

Tomorrow, look for natural gas to challenge at least $1.91 and likely $1.86. The $1.86 objective is the 62 percent retracement of the move up from $1.649 and is expected to hold. Closing below this would reflect a bearish shift in sentiment and severely dampen odds for a continued rise during the next few days.

The move down from $2.162 was aggressive but lacks a meaningful wave formation. Therefore, once $1.86 is met odds for a test of resistance will increase. For now, $2.02 will likely hold and $2.07 is key. Settling above $2.07 will shift near-term odds in favor of another attempt at $2.17 and higher.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Natural gas is settling into a wide trading range as expected. Today, prices fell to challenge $1.86, the 62 percent retracement of the move up from $1.765. This is a potential stalling point but based on the waves down from $2.100 and $2.018 odds lean in favor of falling to $1.82. A test of resistance is expected before prices close below $1.82. Closing below $1.82 would clear the way for $1.69, which is near the bottom of the trading range for the June contract.

As prices fall toward $1.82 resistance at $1.92 is expected to hold and $1.96 is key. Settling above $1.96 will call for another attempt at $2.03, which then connects to $2.11 and higher. Without help from bullish external factors, it is doubtful that natural gas will overcome $2.03.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

As expected in the weekly Commentary, prompt month natural gas prices have been trading in an erratic manner this week. Crucial resistance at $1.95 has held on a closing basis so far, but today’s move up invalidates yesterday’s bearish dark cloud cover. Based on this and the waves up from $1.521, $1.555, and $1.774, natural gas should make a push for at least $1.97 and likely $2.04 before the end of the week. Closing above $2.04 will call for key upper resistance at $2.10.

The challenge is that for the move up to be sustained fundamental data will have to reflect a strong bullish change in supply and demand. Technical factors can push prices to $2.04 and maybe $2.10, but anything higher than that, or a sustained move above $2.00, will have to be backed by bullish fundamentals. This means that there is still quite a bit of downside risk.

Should natural gas fall below $1.85 before overcoming $1.97 look for another attempt at $1.80 and possibly $1.75. The $1.75 level is the 62 percent retracement of the move up from $1.521. Therefore, a close below $1.75 would shift odds in favor of $1.68 and then a move back toward the $1.555 and $1.521 swing lows.

With all factors considered, natural gas prices should rise a bit higher during the next few days. But the move up will probably be short-lived and another major test of support is likely without help from external factors. Therefore, for the bigger picture, the most probable scenario is a wide trading range, the boundaries of which are still be defined.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

The outlook for natural gas is firmly bearish and today’s nominal close below $1.60 clears the way for a test of $1.54 and possibly $1.50. These are the intermediate (1.382) and larger than (1.618) targets of the primary wave down from $1.918, respectively. The sub-waves down from $1.813 also show that these two objectives are highly confluent. Therefore, a test of resistance is expected before natural gas settles below $1.50.

Based on the wave structure and bearish sentiment, natural gas should fall to at least $1.54 before another reasonable test of resistance. Nonetheless, should prices rise sooner, look for initial resistance at $1.63 and then $1.67. The latter is expected to hold. Key near-term resistance is $1.73. Settling above $1.73 would call for a larger upward correction to $1.79 and possibly higher. This would also suggest that prices may settle into a trading range before falling to challenge major support around $1.50.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Natural gas rose in an aggressive manner again today and settled above the 62 percent retracement of the decline from $2.044. This suggests prices will likely rise to challenge $2.00 and possibly higher again soon. There are no reversal patterns or setups that call for the move up to stall. However, there is a significant objective at $1.93 as the larger than (0.618) target of the only decipherable wave up from $1.521. This is also the 78 percent retracement of the decline from $2.044. Therefore, because the move up currently lacks a wave structure that can support a move above $2.00, there is a good chance natural gas will stall near $1.93. From there, a downward correction should take place before prices rise to $2.00 and higher.

The key for the move up will be holding resistance at $1.76 on a test of support. Since February, there have been two other moves up on the continuation chart to challenge resistance around or just above $2.00. Both moves, one up from $1.753 to $2.025 and then other from $1.610 to $1.998, failed on the first sign of any weakness and a test of support. Therefore, until a reasonable test of support holds it will be hard to call for a sustainable move above $2.00.

For May natural gas the key threshold is $1.76, the 38 percent retracement of the move up from $1.521. Closing below this would suggest the move up has failed again and would call for $1.67 and possibly $1.59. The latter of these is the smaller than target of the wave down from $2.044 and connects to targets well below the current $1.521 contract low.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

May natural gas fell to a new contract low of $1.580 today and settled below the $1.593 larger than (1.618) target of the first wave down from $2.044. The move down is poised to extend. Based on the waves down from $1.782 and $1.731, the prompt month should reach at least $1.56 and likely $1.50. The $1.50 objective is most important. Once met, there is a good chance for another test of resistance before prices fall to the next objectives at $1.46 and lower.

Support at $1.56 may initially hold because this is the equal to (1.00) target of the wave down from $1.782. Nonetheless, should prices rise form this level before reaching $1.50 look for resistance at $1.64 to hold. Rising above this would call for $1.67 and possibly $1.71. There is nothing on the charts that calls for a move above $1.67, so overcoming this level is doubtful during the next few days. Even so, key resistance and the barrier for a bullish near-term outlook is $1.71. Settling above $1.71 would clear the way for $1.76 and higher.

This is a brief analysis for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary and daily updates are much more detailed and thorough energy price forecasts that cover key natural gas futures contracts, calendar spreads, the UNG ETF, and several electricity contracts. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.