NATGAS: European Gas Structure Supportive for Summer Refill
Dec-24 09:39
Gas demand in Europe is up this year as prices have been more conductive to demand recently.
- Recently demand has shot up due to cold weather and the so called Dunkelflaute - a weather phenomenon where output from both wind and solar is very low according to Oystein Kalleklev, CEO of Flex LNG.
- As a result, gas inventories in Europe are down 19 percentage points since start of gas season and now currently at about 75% full.
- The previous two years only saw single-digit drops over the same period.
- Europe has also faced higher demand vs Asia for cargoes pushing more demand on inventories.
- Panic has not set in for supply this winter but the market now expects low storage levels at the end of the season and a rush to fill them next summer resulting in higher (contango) pricing next summer.
- The end of Ukraine gas transit has priced into the European gas market further over the past week as the expected base case, despite attempts to try and revive a last minute deal which have looked increasingly less likely.
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AUSSIE 3-YEAR TECHS: (Z4) Bearish Backdrop Building
Nov-22 22:45
- RES 3: 96.380 - High Mar 21 2023
- RES 2: 97.190 - High May 5 2023
- RES 1: 96.730/932 - High Sep 17 / 76.4% of Mar-Nov ‘23 bear leg
- PRICE: 95.920 @ 16:46 GMT Nov 21
- SUP 1: 95.760 - Low Nov 13
- SUP 2: 95.750 - Low 27 Nov ‘23
- SUP 3: 95.480 - Low Jan 11 2023 and a major support
Prices hit a fresh pullback low at 95.760 across the global rates sell-off, extending losses on the break through 96.080 support. This confirms the downside bias, with support undercutting at 95.750 below ahead of major support of 95.480. For any corrective recovery to take hold, markets need to retake the 96.00 handle on a closing basis.
US TSYS: Underperforming Global Peers In Twist Flattening Move
Nov-22 20:10
Treasuries closed Friday little changed, underperforming global peers.
- Futures traded within Thursday's ranges, with data having little lasting impact: November flash services PMI was much stronger than expected and the highest since March 2022, though soft employment and output price inflation metrics softened the impact.
- Elevated final November UMichigan survey long-term inflation expectations saw Treasuries hit the worst levels of the day, but the move reversed.
- The limited move in yields stood in contrast to pronounced gains in Europe, where weaker-than-expected PMIs renewed concern over regional growth and boosted ECB rate cut pricing. That helped boost Treasuries in overnight trade, but as noted, the US rate move subsided.
- Futures volumes remained robust (2.4M TYZ4), though again it was largely quarterly roll-related.
- The curve twist flattened on the day, and Friday's moves left 10Y yields just 2bp lower on the week.
- Latest levels: The Dec 24 T-Note future is up 5/32 at 109-21, having traded in a range of 109-16.5 to 109-26.5. 2-Yr yield is up 1.8bps at 4.3665%, 5-Yr is down 0.9bps at 4.2948%, 10-Yr is down 1.8bps at 4.4041%, and 30-Yr is down 1.1bps at 4.5906%.
- MNI's weekly US macro wrap is here (PDF).
- Next week's schedule is condensed by the Thanksgiving holiday, with highlights including FOMC Minutes (MNI Preview here - PDF) and GDP/PCE data.
OPTIONS: US Options Summary
Nov-22 19:59
Friday's US rates/bond options flow included:
- SFRZ4 95.50/95.56/95.62c fly, bought for 0.75 in 5k total.
- SFRF5 95.75/95.62/95.50p fly, bought for 3 in 5k.
- SFRM5 96.50/97.00cs, sold at 5.25 in 8k.
- SFRM5 97.00/97.50c strip vs SFRZ5 97.50c, bought the strip for flat in 5k
- SFRZ5 96.125 ^ sold at 87.5 in 500
- 2QH5 97.25/97.50cs, bought for 1.5 in 5k
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