Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Middle East News

Trump's tariff reversal may reduce costs for US energy companies, but it will likely not affect broader flows.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn trade tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed last year could ease costs for certain?oil drillers and producers, analysts and experts said that energy flows in general would?remain unchanged for now. The ruling of the court could lower the cost to build LNG plants and large-scale infrastructures that depend on modules and parts made in countries affected by tariffs. Venture Global, for instance, builds its LNG plant components in Italy and then imports them to the U.S.A.

Prices for EUROPE Gas remain firm as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue

Dutch and British wholesale natural gas prices rose on Friday morning after a sharp increase in the previous session. This was due to tensions between Iran and the United States that could impact the shipping of LNG. Gas market concerns are any possible disruptions of LNG shipments via the Strait of Hormuz. This is especially true for Qatar, the second largest gas supplier in the world. In intraday trading on Thursday, the Dutch front-month contract jumped as high as 16%.

German gas forward curve contracts increase on tensions between the US and Iran

German power contracts for the year ahead tracked higher gas costs on the back of concerns about supply disruptions due to the rising tensions between the U.S. By 1030 GMT, the German year-ahead?baseload price had risen 5.2% to 81.30 Euros ($95.88 per megawatt hour). The?rest? of the German contracts traded along the curve also rose in early trading. The French equivalent, which closed at 51.05 Euros/MWh, was not traded. The front-month and fourth-quarter 2026 baseload contracts…

EUROPE GAS - European prices rise on the threat of LNG supply due to US-Iran tensions

Dutch and British wholesale prices for gas rose sharply on Thursday, boosted by tensions between Iran and the U.S. that could affect shipping of LNG. LSEG data revealed that the benchmark Dutch front-month contract at TTF hub had risen by?3.25 euro to 32.70 euros or $11.31/mmBtu as of 0835 GMT. British gas prices for the day ahead rose 7.75 pence, to 79 cents per therm. The U.S. deployed "warships" near Iran, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). The U.S.

Gulf stock markets fall due to US-Iran tensions and earnings.

Stock markets in the Gulf slowed in early trading on Thursday, pressured both by a lacklustre earnings report and investor unease over tensions between the United States and Iran. U.S. president Donald Trump met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a Wednesday. He later stated that they hadn't reached a "definitive agreement"?regarding Iran but stressed that negotiations would continue. The announcement came just…

Gas prices in Europe fall due to forecasted milder temperatures

Dutch and British wholesale gasoline prices dropped on Monday morning due to forecasts of milder temperatures than previously anticipated. Data compiled by LSEG revealed that the benchmark Dutch front-month contracts at?the TTF Hub were down 2.13 Euros?at a price of?32.72 per megawatt hour (MWh) or $11.39 /mmBtu by 0926 GMT. The Dutch April contract dropped by 1.73 euros to 30.67 euros/MWh. The British contract for the day-ahead price dropped by 8.25 pence to 82.25 p/therm.

Oil Prices Rise After US Urges Caution for Vessels Traveling Near Iran

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Oil prices rose more than 1% on Monday after the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an advisory to U.S.-flagged vessels to stay as far as possible from Iranian territory while voyaging through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.Brent crude oil futures were up 89 cents, or 1.3%, at $68.94 a barrel by 11:24 a.m. EST (1624 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 83 cents, or 1.3%, to $64.38.The U.S. DOT's Maritime Administration…

What can oil prices tell you about the market? Not a lot: Bousso

The global oil market is experiencing a series of price spikes due to geopolitical tensions and the opaque stockpiling. Western sanctions and tightening Western sanction are also causing traders to be in the dark. Prices may not accurately reflect the physical fundamentals of commodities due to the growing influence of unpredictable external forces on this world's most liquid and largest commodity market. In fact, it appears that the global oil markets are struggling to find a balance between supply and demand.

Maguire: China tightens its grip on clean tech with growing exports of EVs.

China's position as the world leader in clean technology is best illustrated by its EV exports. These will reach nearly $70 billion dollars in 2025, and span over 150 countries. Electric vehicles are a major part of China's manufacturing industry, and millions of people work in the various supply chains that support?clean cars? and their components. Over half of new cars in China are EVs. But as the domestic market slows, China's EV industry is likely to become more dependent on foreign markets.

Maguire: China tightens its grip on clean tech with EV export growth.

China's position as a global leader in clean technology is best illustrated by its massive EV exports. These will reach nearly $70 billion dollars in 2025, and span well?over 150 different countries and territories. Electric vehicles are a major part of China's manufacturing industry, and millions of people work in the various supply chains that support clean cars. Over half of new cars in China are EVs. But as domestic demand declines, the country's EV industry is likely to be more dependent on foreign markets.

Beach Energy's profit falls on account of higher costs and lower oil prices

Beach Energy, Australia, reported a 8% drop in its first-half profits?on Friday, due to higher costs of sales and lower oil and liquids price. This sent the company's shares down?more?than?5%. The benchmark ASX200 index edged down 0.2%, as shares of the oil-and-gas producer fell as much as 5.18 percent to A$1.190. This was their biggest intraday decline since January 7th. The Adelaide-headquartered company attributed the profit drop ?to higher cost of sales…

Germany's Uniper stresses diversification and downplays the increasing reliance on US Liquefied Natural Gas

DOHA, February 4 - The top executive of a German utility Uniper played down European concerns about the growing dependence on liquefied gas from?the United States while he emphasized the need for diversification in supply sources. The pursuit by President Donald Trump of "energy dominance", has increased European concerns over the heavy reliance on U.S. LNG. This has replaced volumes previously provided by Russia. Data from analytics firm Kpler revealed that U.S.

TSX futures advance as oil and gold gain on US-Iran tension

The futures that track Canada's main index of stocks rose Wednesday, as precious metals continued to?gain. Meanwhile, oil prices rose amid simmering tensions in the Middle East following the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone. As of 5:35 a.m., March futures for the S&P/TSX Composite Index were up 0.5%. ET. Toronto's resource-heavy benchmark closed higher on Tuesday. It extended its rebound as the strength of?mining stocks overshadowed an a drop in tech shares, led by U.S.

Germany's Uniper stresses diversification and downplays the increasing reliance on US Liquefied Natural Gas

DOHA, February 4 - A top executive of German utility Uniper played down European concerns about increasing reliance on liquefied gas (LNG), which is imported from the United States. He said that companies sign contracts with 'firms, not governments', and stressed the importance of diversification. The transactional diplomacy of U.S. president Donald Trump and his pursuit to "energy dominate" have heightened European concerns over their heavy dependence on U.S. LNG.

Eni's LNG market for 2026 is 'finely balancing' due to Asian demand and a thin supply

An Eni executive stated that the global LNG market will remain 'finely balanced' this year due to thin supply buffers and low European inventories, as well as a resurgent Asian demand. This leaves little room for weather-related shocks. Eni's Cristian Signoretto is the director of global gas and LNG portfolio. He said that Europe has very little storage, so we must replenish it this summer. He added that he expected Asia, China to recover a little from last year's low consumption…

QatarEnergy signs long-term LNG supply agreement with Japan's Jera amid surge in demand

QatarEnergy signed a contract with Japan's largest power generator Jera on Tuesday to supply 3,000,000 tons of LNG per year for 27 years starting in 2028. This deal will further strengthen Qatar's position on the Japanese market. The agreement was made at the LNG2026 Conference in Doha and would strengthen QatarEnergy’s position in Japan, as the competition from U.S. companies and Gulf rivals,?United Arab Emirates, and Oman who offer more flexible terms, intensifies. The two firms have been in talks for months.

Data shows that Indonesia imported Russian Sakhalin crude oil in December and January.

Ship tracking data revealed on Tuesday that Indonesia imported two cargoes in December and in January of Russian oil. These purchases were rare for the Southeast Asian nation and could be a sign of Russian oil sellers looking to expand their market in response to pressure from other buyers. The Kpler & Vortexa imports came as a result of a decline in demand for Russian crude oil from India. India is one of the largest buyers of Russian oil. The U.S.

Libya plans to increase gas exports to Europe before 2030

Massoud Suleman, Chairman of the National Oil Corporation said that Libya will increase its natural gas production in the next five to ten years to?have a greater supply available to export to Europe before early 2030. Suleman, who spoke at the LNG2026 Conference in Qatar, told the delegates that the country intends to increase its gas production by nearly 1 billion standard cubic feet per day and begin drilling for shale in the second half of this year. Foreign investors are wary about investing in OPEC-member Libya.

QatarEnergy Secures LNG Supply Deal with Jera as Demand Surges

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QatarEnergy, one of the world's biggest LNG suppliers, signed a deal on Tuesday with Japan's top power generator Jera to supply 3 million tons of LNG annually for 27 years from 2028, further strengthening Qatar's position in the Japanese market.The agreement, made on the sidelines of the LNG2026 conference in Doha, would bolster QatarEnergy's position in Japan as competition intensifies from U.S. suppliers and Gulf rivals United Arab Emirates and Oman…

Libya plans to increase gas exports to Europe before 2030

Massoud Suleman, Chairman of the National Oil Corporation, said that Libya intends to?boost? its natural gas production over the next five to six years in order to increase supply to Europe before early 2030. Suleman, who spoke at the LNG2026 Conference, said that the country plans to increase its gas production up to a maximum of nearly 1 billion cubic feet per day. It will also begin drilling for shale-gas in the second half of this year.