{"id":58788,"date":"2026-02-19T12:08:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-natural-gas-futures-steady-after-eia-reports-144-bcf-storage-withdrawal-rubio-signals-firm-gaza-strategy\/58788\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T12:08:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:08:28","slug":"u-s-natural-gas-futures-steady-after-eia-reports-144-bcf-storage-withdrawal-rubio-signals-firm-gaza-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-natural-gas-futures-steady-after-eia-reports-144-bcf-storage-withdrawal-rubio-signals-firm-gaza-strategy\/58788\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Natural Gas Futures Steady After EIA Reports 144 Bcf Storage Withdrawal; Rubio Signals Firm Gaza Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>EIA reported a 144 Bcf withdrawal<\/strong> from natural gas storage for the week ending Feb. 13, slightly lower than the <strong>149 Bcf<\/strong> draw expected by analysts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Natural gas futures pared earlier gains<\/strong> to trade up <strong>0.4%<\/strong> following the report, as the data was largely viewed as <em>in line with market expectations<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Salt dome cavern stocks<\/strong> saw a modest decrease of <strong>8 Bcf<\/strong>, a significant slowdown from the previous week&#39;s <strong>52 Bcf<\/strong> drop.<\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/strong> stated there is &quot;<strong>no Plan B for Gaza<\/strong>,&quot; emphasizing that the current peace initiative is the only alternative to a return to war.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Total storage remains at a deficit<\/strong> of approximately <strong>123 Bcf<\/strong> relative to the five-year average, though strong production near <strong>110 Bcf\/d<\/strong> continues to cap price upside.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)<\/strong> announced on Thursday that domestic natural gas storage fell by <strong>144 billion cubic feet (Bcf)<\/strong> for the week ending February 13, 2026. This withdrawal was slightly narrower than the consensus estimate of <strong>149 Bcf<\/strong> and followed a much larger <strong>249 Bcf<\/strong> draw in the preceding week.<\/p>\n<p>Natural gas futures, which had been edging higher in anticipation of the data, pared gains shortly after the release. Prices for the March contract were up roughly <strong>0.4%<\/strong> as traders digested a report that <em>failed to provide a significant bullish surprise<\/em> despite ongoing winter demand. The United States Natural Gas Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/UNG\">UNG<\/a>) and ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Natural Gas (<a href=\"\/stock\/BOIL\">BOIL<\/a>) saw immediate volatility as the market adjusted to the &quot;near-estimate&quot; figures.<\/p>\n<p>Market analysts noted that while the storage deficit persists, it is being increasingly offset by robust domestic supply. U.S. dry natural gas production has recently averaged around <strong>110.2 Bcf\/d<\/strong>, while feedgas nominations for liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, including those operated by Cheniere Energy (<a href=\"\/stock\/LNG\">LNG<\/a>), remain strong at approximately <strong>19.3 Bcf\/d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In geopolitical developments, Secretary of State <strong>Marco Rubio<\/strong> addressed the inaugural meeting of the &quot;Board of Peace&quot; in Washington. Rubio declared that there is &quot;<strong>no Plan B for Gaza<\/strong>,&quot; asserting that the administration&#39;s current diplomatic framework is the only viable path to avoid a return to active warfare.<\/p>\n<p>The Secretary&#39;s comments come as the U.S. leads an international effort to establish a stabilization force and a <strong>$5 billion<\/strong> reconstruction fund for the region. <em>Investors are closely monitoring these diplomatic efforts<\/em>, as regional stability remains a critical factor for global energy security and broader market sentiment throughout 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways EIA reported a 144 Bcf withdrawal from natural gas storage for the week ending Feb. 13, slightly lower 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