GLOBAL ECONOMICS AND POLITICS

Leo Haviland provides clients with original, provocative, cutting-edge fundamental supply/demand and technical research on major financial marketplaces and trends. He also offers independent consulting and risk management advice.

Haviland’s expertise is macro. He focuses on the intertwining of equity, debt, currency, and commodity arenas, including the political players, regulatory approaches, social factors, and rhetoric that affect them. In a changing and dynamic global economy, Haviland’s mission remains constant – to give timely, value-added marketplace insights and foresights.

Leo Haviland has three decades of experience in the Wall Street trading environment. He has worked for Goldman Sachs, Sempra Energy Trading, and other institutions. In his research and sales career in stock, interest rate, foreign exchange, and commodity battlefields, he has dealt with numerous and diverse financial institutions and individuals. Haviland is a graduate of the University of Chicago (Phi Beta Kappa) and the Cornell Law School.

 

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A BEAR TREND’S END: US NATURAL GAS © Leo Haviland September 4, 2019

Alvin Toffler’s “Future Shock” (Chapter I) notes: “Future shock…the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.”

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CONCLUSION

The ferocious bear trend in NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures continuation) that commenced after 11/14/18’s 4.929 peak probably ended with 8/5/19’s 2.029 low. If not, it likely will finish fairly soon. Assuming normal weather, major support around 1.90/2.00 probably will hold. For the near term, noteworthy resistance stands around 2.50/2.55, with 3.05/3.10 an important target. If United States winter weather is significantly colder than normal, an advance toward 4.00 looms.

Marketplace history of course is not marketplace destiny. Based on historical major bear trends for NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures), the current bear trend has lasted sufficiently long in price (distance) and time terms for that trend to end and for a bull move to emerge. A critical variable supporting this viewpoint is the overall United States natural gas inventory situation. From the days coverage perspective, America’s natural gas inventory outlook is bullish.

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A Bear Trend's End- US Natural Gas (9-4-19)

PETROLEUM: ROLLING AND TUMBLING © Leo Haviland June 10, 2019

“Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long
Well, I woke up this mornin’, didn’t know right from wrong”. Muddy Waters, “Rollin’ and Tumblin’”

OVERVIEW AND CONCLUSION

Of course the petroleum universe “as a whole” has, as do its various individual crude oil streams and assorted refined products, “its own” past, present, and potential future supply/demand/inventory situation. However, the petroleum circus, including so-called specific oil-related variables affecting it, is not a domain entirely separate from other economic and political phenomena. For example, marketplace history reveals that price levels and trends for the petroleum complex intertwine in diverse ways with benchmark global stock, interest rate, and currency arenas, and with other commodity fields such as base and precious metals. These relationships, including convergence/divergence (and lead/lag) ones between the oil marketplace in general and these other financial playgrounds, can and do change, sometimes significantly.

Marketplace history need not repeat itself, either entirely or even partly. Visionaries differ in their perspectives on and conclusions regarding petroleum and other marketplaces, frequently substantially.

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OPEC is an important actor within the oil theater, as are its current producer allies such as Russia. The United States, given its ravenous demand for petroleum plus its booming crude oil output in recent years, also is an important petroleum player. But these entertainers are not independent of other stages and performers.

In the timing and direction of its major price moves, the global petroleum complex does not necessarily or always travel alongside the S+P 500 and other benchmark stock indices. A survey of the critical price turning points since early 2016 for the oil and equity realms nevertheless displays the close connection between petroleum and stock trends.

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For related marketplace analysis, see essays such as: “Wall Street Talking, Yield Hunting, and Running for Cover” (5/14/19); “Economic Growth Fears: Stock and Interest Rate Adventures” (4/2/19); “American Economic Growth: Cycles, Yield Spreads, and Stocks” (3/4/19); “Facing a Wall: Emerging US Dollar Weakness” (1/15/19); “American Housing: a Marketplace Weathervane” (12/4/18); “Twists, Turns, and Turmoil: US and Other Government Note Trends” (11/12/18); “Japan: Financial Archery, Shooting Arrows” (10/5/18); “Stock Marketplace Maneuvers: Convergence and Divergence” (9/4/18); “China at a Crossroads: Economic and Political Danger Signs” (8/5/18); “Shakin’ All Over: Marketplace Convergence and Divergence” (6/18/18); “History on Stage: Marketplace Scenes” (8/9/17).

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Petroleum- Rollling and Tumbling (6-10-19)

SEASONS COME, SEASONS GO: US NATURAL GAS © Leo Haviland February 5, 2019

“The Times They Are A-Changin’”, a Bob Dylan song

CONCLUSION AND OVERVIEW

The vicious bear slump in NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures continuation) that started after 11/14/18’s 4.929 peak probably will end between mid-February and early March 2019. Assuming normal weather for the balance of winter 2019, major support around 2.40/2.50 probably will hold. Above-average temperatures for the rest of this winter increase the risk of a  moderate breach of the 2.40/2.50 floor.

Looking forward over the next several months, NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures) probably will remain in a sideways trend between 2.40/2.50 and 3.20/3.45. However, higher than anticipated United States natural gas production, reduced demand due to milder than expected summer weather, or American economic feebleness may inspire an assault on the lower end of that range. Many important lows in nearest futures continuation have occurred in late August/calendar September.

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What is a “low”, “high”, or “normal” (average, reasonable) inventory is a matter of opinion. In any case, over the past two years, the United States natural gas industry probably has shifted toward a lower level of desired (appropriate, reasonable, normal, prudent, sufficient) stock holding relative to long run historical averages. Structural changes in the US natural gas marketplace have encouraged more widespread (and more aggressive) adoption of a “just-in-time” (lower inventories in days coverage terms) inventory management approach instead of a “just-in-case” (relatively higher stockpiles) method.

Why? One likely factor has been faith that gas production (in 2018, 2019, and thereafter) would remain far greater than that of calendar 2017. Many players therefore probably believe there “always (or almost always) will be enough gas around” to satisfy demand, even during peak consumption periods. Another variable likely encouraging lower inventory in days coverage terms is the substantial expansion of America’s pipeline infrastructure. Thus it has (will) become easier to move sufficient gas to many locations where it is needed. In addition, the growing share of renewables in total US electricity generation arguably to some extent reduces the amount of necessary natural gas inventories.

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Assume an entrenched change in natural gas inventory management practices to the just-in-time orientation. Assume also that from the days coverage perspective (stocks relative to consumption), the “reasonable” level of industry holdings has tumbled by several days relative to historical days coverage benchmarks. Nevertheless, anticipated October 2019 (and October 2020) United States natural gas inventories from the days coverage perspective are substantially lower than the historical average. The natural gas inventory situation therefore is somewhat bullish, particularly from the perspective regarding the close of build seasons at end October 2019 and end October 2020.

Suppose US natural gas output does not surpass current expectations, economic growth remains moderate, weather remains normal, and commodity prices in general (especially in the petroleum complex) do not collapse. This natural gas inventory situation, assuming it persists, makes it probable that the marketplace eventually will attack and surpass 3.20/3.45.

Although prospects for US natural gas days coverage at end October 2019 and October 2020 at present currently are fairly bullish, end March 2020 inventories appear sufficient. It consequently may be difficult to sustain moves over 3.45/3.70.

Despite the explosive price leap to nearly 5.000 in mid-November 2018, the shattering collapse from mid-December (12/10/18 high at 4.666), signals that many natural gas marketplace participants probably remain complacent regarding the availability of supplies, even in regard to periods of expected or actual high demand. The current sideways trends and relatively modest price heights for the summer 2019 and winter 2019-2020 calendar strips likewise reflect little worry regarding prospective supply availability 

However, picture a significantly colder than usual winter (or widespread belief this will occur). A colder than normal winter 2019/20 (or winter 2020/21), assuming low end-October days coverage, boosts the risks of very low inventories at the end of winter and thus substantial (even if brief in duration) bull charges. US natural gas inventories were very low in days coverage terms at end-October 2018. Fears that available supplies (whether in days coverage or arithmetical terms) are or may become tight can prompt feverish scrambles to procure them. Recall the spike from 9/10/18’s 2.752 and 10/29/18’s 3.100 up to November 2018’s summit. In any case, the most probable time for any flight toward or above 4.00/4.10 is close to or during winter.

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Seasons Come, Seasons Go- US Natural Gas (2-5-19)

US NATURAL GAS: A VIEW OF THE PAST, A VISION OF A FUTURE © Leo Haviland, January 21, 2017

Bob Dylan’s song “All Along the Watchtower” states:
“There must be some way out of here,’ said the joker to the thief
“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief”.

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CONCLUSION AND OVERVIEW

Is the major bull trend for NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures continuation) that began in early March 2016 finished? Probably not, though it is a difficult call. In any event, assuming normal weather and moderate United States economic growth, it nevertheless will be very hard for the NYMEX front month price to exceed 12/28/16’s high bordering 4.00 by much (if at all) anytime soon.

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The probable longer run bullish US natural gas inventory situation suggests the likelihood of eventual further moderate rises in NYMEX natural gas prices (nearest futures continuation). The days coverage perspective underlines this, particularly in light of anticipated stockpiles at end October 2017 and thereafter. A comparison of the recent bull move that started in March 2016 to the prior major bull move inaugurated on 4/19/12 at 1.902 offers insight into past and potential trends.

Marketplace history does not necessarily repeat itself, whether entirely, partly, or at all. But all else equal, since 2016’s natural gas rally was less than average in time and (percentage) distance terms, this also indicates the move that commenced in March 2016 probably has more time and price to run. NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures continuation) rallied about 148 percent in about ten months from its 3/4/16 bottom at 1.611 to its 12/28/16 high at 3.994. The distance and duration for eleven major bull moves in NYMEX natural gas (nearest futures continuation) since trading began in 1990 is about 246 percent and twelve months and three weeks.

Some bull voyages took a very long time to complete. For example, the April 2012 to February 2014 advance lasted about twenty-two months and a week. September 2003-December 2005’s flight took 26 months and three weeks; the August 1998 to December 2000 adventure was 28 months.

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However, the move above December 2016’s height may not be substantial and could take at least a few months to occur. Why?

First, US natural gas inventories in days coverage terms at end March 2017, though they likely will slip slightly below those at end March 2013, nevertheless will hover around end March long run averages.

A few major (over 120 percent) bull charges were shorter in extent or briefer in time than 2016’s leap, so an assertion that the 2016 rally ended in December 2016 is not “unreasonable”. Besides, the NYMEX natural gas 26 year trading history is relatively short; compare wheat or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. In any case, one big bull move voyaged up around 123.5 percent, another 129.2pc. For the time horizon parameter, three major bull moves from 1990 to the present were completed quickly. One finished in about two months, another in about three and a half months, and a third in four months. In this context, and although marketplace history is not marketplace destiny, several major peaks in NYMEX natural gas occurred in calendar December, with another one in early January. NYMEX natural gas often attains its major peaks and valleys around the day of the actual nearest futures contract expiration.

The CFTC’s Commitments of Traders reveals a massive net noncommercial long position in the natural gas complex. An elevated net noncommercial position in natural gas has often (but not always) been associated with key marketplace trend changes. The current net noncommercial long position in the petroleum complex likewise is extremely large from the historical standpoint. Both natural gas and petroleum currently are vulnerable to liquidation by the net noncommercial long fraternity, which would tend to pressure prices.

For predicting NYMEX natural gas price trends, monitor those in the petroleum complex. NYMEX crude oil’s 2/11/16 trough at $26.05 (nearest futures continuation) occurred shortly before the NYMEX natural gas bottom on 3/4/16 (and alongside the S+P 500’s 2/11/16 trough at 1810). NYMEX crude oil made important interim lows in its rally, $39.19 on 8/3/16 and $42.20 on 11/14/16; critical interim lows in NYMEX natural gas occurred near in time to these. Remember 8/12/16’s 2.523 and 11/9/16’s 2.546. NYMEX crude oil’s recent high occurred 1/3/17 at $55.24, adjacent in time to 12/28/16’s 3.994 natural gas elevation.

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US Natural Gas- a View of the Past, a Vision of a Future (1-21-17)