據天然氣加工新聞網8月5日報道，隨著液化天然氣價格攀升，美國天然氣期貨價格升至自去年12月以來的最高水平，而預計8月底美國的氣溫仍將高于正常水平。

交易員們注意到，由于美國庫存達到最高水平，價格將下降的任何揮之不去的擔憂已經消失，因為自6月底以來，發電機已經燃燒了創紀錄的天然氣，以保持空調的運作而且液化天然氣公司再次增加出口。然而，分析師仍預計，到10月底，庫存將達到創紀錄的4.1萬億立方英尺。

上周六美國東部時間上午8:15(格林尼治標準時間12:15)，即月天然氣期貨上漲3.7美分，漲幅1.7%，至每百萬英國熱單位2.23美元，使該合約走向自去年12月26日以來的最高收盤價。

這是自2019年11月以來，首次連續連續第三天使即月期貨保持在超買區間，相對強勢指數(Rsi)超過70。

周一晚上襲擊北卡羅萊納州的伊薩亞斯(Isaias)颶風短暫打破了自6月底以來席卷全國大部分地區的熱浪。這場颶風使從北卡羅來納州到緬因州的超過300萬戶家庭和企業斷電。

但是隨著炎熱天氣的到來，數據提供商Refinitiv預計，包括出口在內的美國需求將從本周的日均886億立方英尺上升至下周的910億立方英尺。由于天然氣價格上漲導致發電機燃燒更多的煤炭而不是天然氣，因此這略低于Refinitiv周二的預期。

美國液化天然氣出口有望在6個月內首次上升，因為8月份流向這些工廠的管道天然氣數量從7月份33億立方英尺/天的21個月低點上升到40億立方英尺/天，當時買家取消了幾十批貨物。

郝芬 譯自 天然氣加工新聞網

原文如下:

U.S. natgas rise to highest since Dec on rising LNG exports, hot weather

U.S. natural gas futures rose to their highest since December as LNG climbed while the weather was expected to remain hotter-than-normal through late August.

Traders noted any lingering concerns that prices would fall as U.S. stockpiles fill to maximum levels have gone away now that power generators have burned record amounts of gas to keep air conditioners humming since late June and as LNG companies boost their exports again. Analysts, however, still expect inventories to reach a record 4.1 trillion cubic feet by the end of October.

Front-month gas futures rose 3.7 cents, or 1.7%, to $2.230 per million British thermal unit sat 8:15 a.m. EDT (1215 GMT), putting the contract on track for its highest close since Dec. 26.

That kept the front-month in overbought territory with a Relative Strength Index (RSI) over 70 for a third day in a row for the first time since November 2019.

Hurricane Isaias, which hit North Carolina Monday night, briefly broke the heat wave that has blanketed much of the country since late June. The storm knocked out power to more than three million homes and businesses from North Carolina to Maine.

But with hot weather expected to return, data provider Refinitiv projected U.S. demand, including exports, will rise from an average of 88.6 bcfd this week to 91.0 bcfd next week. That is a little lower than Refinitiv's outlook on Tuesday as higher gas prices cause power generators to burn more coal instead of gas.

U.S. LNG exports are on track to rise for the first time in six months as the amount of pipeline gas flowing to the plants rose to 4.0 bcfd in August from a 21-month low of 3.3 bcfd in July when buyers canceled dozens of cargoes.