• The October 2026 NYMEX contract expired last Monday at $3.00 per MMBtu, the highest October expiration since 2022, after trading in a volatile $2.82-to-$3.32 range during its final week.
• The EIA reported a 64-Bcf storage build, narrowing the year-over-year deficit to 138 Bcf while reducing the surplus to the five-year average to just 79 Bcf.
• Power generation demand for natural gas fell sharply by 4.1 Bcf per day amid mild temperatures and a sharp drop in ERCOT electricity demand.
• Forward power markets moved mostly lower in the East, while CAISO pricing strengthened and real-time markets remained mixed.
