August natural gas pushed to new highs Tuesday and early Wednesday before stalling at $2.974. Cooler than previously expected near-term temperature forecasts are reportedly the culprit for Wednesday’s pullback and settle at $2.863.

Longer-term, the outlook for natural gas is positive and is most likely forming a five-wave trend. The move up is due for a significant correction to form a potential Wave IV. Momentum is setup for bearish divergence. The Stochastic has also crept its way below the overbought threshold.

Charts show that August natural gas met a cluster of important wave projections at $2.974 Wednesday morning. The most significant was the 1.618 projection of the primary wave $1.99 – 2.494 – 2.157. It is rare for a primary wave such as this to extend beyond the 1.618 projection without a significant correction first.

The pullback from $2.974 forms a daily shooting star. This reversal pattern would be completed upon a close below Tuesday’s $2.82 midpoint and confirmed upon a close below the $2.751 open. This would then open the way for $2.66, the 38 percent retracement from $2.157 to $2.974.

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July natural gas rose to a new high for 2016 when it overcame the January 8 swing high of $2.635. The move up extended to crucial resistance near $2.75 and stalled. $2.75 is a confluent target. Most importantly, it is the 1.382 projection of the primary wave $1.949 – 2.427 – 2.08.

Negative Factors

July’s decline on Wednesday is reportedly due to revised weather forecasts that call for cooler than previously expected temperatures over the next two weeks. In addition, some traders are allegedly concerned that factors behind the rapid price increase in recent weeks have been overhyped.

Momentum is setup for a bearish divergence on the KasePO and the Stochastic is in extreme overbought territory. There is also an evening star, which is a bearish candlestick reversal pattern. These factors indicate the correction that began late Wednesday afternoon should extend over the next few days.

Look for $2.64 to be tested tomorrow (or even Wednesday afternoon). This is currently the 21 percent retracement from $2.101 to $2.786. This was strong resistance and will likely be resilient support. A close below $2.64 would open the way for $2.52, the 38 percent retracement from $2.101. A normal correction should hold $2.52. However, after such a strong move up, the correction might be larger than normal.

Positive Factors

The longer-term outlook for natural gas is positive. This downward correction will most likely form a complex Wave IV of a longer-term five-wave trend. However, should prices turn higher again tomorrow, look for resistance at $2.72 followed by $2.80 and most importantly $2.87. The latter is the 1.618 projection of the wave up from $1.949. A significant correction will almost certainly take place before $2.87 is overcome should the current correction stall before reaching at least $2.52.

This is a brief natural gas forecast for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough analysis. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Warm summer weather and a smaller than expected build reported last Thursday were allegedly the catalysts for the surge higher to $2.635. The recent string of smaller than expected builds has some analysts and traders speculating that the glut of gas in storage may shrink much faster than originally expected.

July natural gas challenged its $2.635 high made January 8, 2016 on June 13. So far, this important resistance level has held and prices have settled into a choppy range between $2.535 and $2.635. The market is most likely waiting for tomorrow’s EIA Natural Gas Storage Report before breaking higher or lower out of the range.

There is little doubt that the longer-term outlook for natural gas is positive. The sustained close over $2.57, the 1.00 projection for the wave $1.939 – 2.427 – 2.08, calls for $2.75 and possibly $2.87, the 1.382 and 1.618 projections, respectively. The move up is due for a correction, but a significant pullback might not take place until these targets are fulfilled. We doubt prices will rise above $2.87 without a major correction first.

That said, $2.635 has held and the KasePO PeakOut and an overbought Stochastic indicate a deeper pullback might take place first. There is also a double top (some might argue a triple top) at $2.635. Tomorrow’s EIA number, if bearish, could lead to a break lower out of the range.

First support is $2.535, and a close below this would confirm the double top and call for $2.44. The $2.44 level is expected to hold. A close below this would indicate the market is reassessing the validity and strength of the recent move up.

This is a brief natural gas forecast for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough analysis. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Natural gas prices have risen sharply over the past seven days. July rose to $2.501 in early trading Wednesday, overcoming the continuation chart’s $2.495 high for 2016. Reports indicate the surge has been due to forecasts for higher temperatures in coming weeks. However, some think the move up may be too aggressive considering storage levels are still 35 percent higher than the five-year average for this time of year.

Technical factors have been positive too. Last week’s close over key resistance at $2.38 cleared the way for at least $2.57 and possibly higher during the course of summer months. Overall, the outlook is positive for the longer-term.

That said, the move up may have been too much too fast. The KasePO and Stochastic are in overbought territory and the move up is due for a correction soon. In addition, the market will need to close over the perpetual’s $2.495 swing high to definitively overcome this important resistance level.

Odds ultimately favor at least $2.57, especially upon a close over $2.495. However, today’s evening star setup and failure to close over $2.495 indicate a correction to $2.42 and possibly $2.35 should take place before $2.57 is overcome.

This is a brief natural gas forecast for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough analysis. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

Prompt month natural gas futures have risen just over 20 percent after the June contract’s expiration last Thursday. Reports indicate traders are expecting increased demand for the fuel due to warmer than normal summer weather in coming weeks. Technical factors have also turned positive and call for rising prices to challenge and likely overcome the 2016 highs made in early January.

The technicals turned positive last week, ahead of the June contract’s expiration, when July natural gas held crucial support at $2.13 on a closing basis. This was the 62 percent retracement of the move up from July’s $1.939 contract low to $2.427. The spread between June and July had weighed on July, but once June expired, July was primed to rise to challenge key resistance levels this week.

Tuesday’s close over $2.22 opened the way for key resistance at $2.38. This is the 0.618 projection for the wave $1.939 – 2.427 – 2.08. Waves that meet the 0.618 target normally (75-80 percent of the time) rise to at least the 1.00 projection. Therefore, now that $2.38 has been met, odds ultimately favor at least $2.57, the 1.00 projection.

That said, the confluence of targets near $2.38 indicates it may hold, at least initially. Any move down at this point is likely corrective of the move up, and a pullback should hold $2.27 and no lower than $2.20. Ultimately, we expect July to close over $2.38 and rise toward $2.57 within the next few weeks.

This is a brief natural gas forecast for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough analysis. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.

The spread between the June and July contracts ahead of June’s expiration on Thursday has weighed on the front of the market. However, July natural gas challenged crucial support at $2.13 Wednesday and held this level on a closing basis while June stalled again near key support at $1.95. The longer-term is beginning to look more positive for natural gas, and once June expires, July is poised to rise toward key resistance at $2.31.

Wednesday’s close over $2.17, the midpoint of Tuesday, was positive for the near-term. Tomorrow, look for July to test $2.21. A close over this would then call for $2.25 and $2.31. Overcoming $2.31 would open the way for an extended move higher.

Trading will likely remain choppy for the next few days, especially ahead of the holiday weekend, and $2.13 is still crucial support. It is in line with projections for the waves down from $2.427 and $2.327. It is also near the 62 percent retracement of the move up from $1.939 to $2.427 and is the close of May 18. A close below $2.13 would call for $2.08 and possibly $2.00. July might test a bit lower, but we still do not see evidence that July will fall lower than $2.00.

This is a brief natural gas forecast for the next day or so. Our weekly Natural Gas Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough analysis. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for a complimentary four-week trial.