James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 08 May 2026

European energy markets opened higher on Friday after Thursday's broad-based decline, as overnight reports of US-Iran naval clashes in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed attacks on UAE infrastructure brought a geopolitical risk premium back into front-end pricing.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 07 May 2026

European energy markets fell sharply on Wednesday as improving US-Iran peace prospects triggered a broad unwinding of geopolitical risk premium across gas, power and crude oil.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 06 May 2026

European gas and power markets opened materially lower on Wednesday following confirmation from Washington that the offensive phase of the Iran conflict is over and that Operation Freedom, the US naval escort programme through the Strait of Hormuz, has been paused.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 05 May 2026

European energy markets opened the week sharply higher as a weekend escalation around the Strait of Hormuz reasserted Middle East risk premia across the complex.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 01 May 2026

European energy markets retreated on Thursday as oil eased and traders trimmed the geopolitical risk premium built earlier in the week, with all major gas and power hubs settling lower day-on-day.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 30 April 2026

Energy markets traded sharply higher into Thursday as geopolitical tension over the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz pushed a renewed risk premium across gas, power, and the wider commodity complex.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 29 April 2026

European gas and power markets traded firmer this morning, recovering from Tuesday's softer settlement as Middle East geopolitical risk reasserted itself across the wider commodity complex.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 28 April 2026

European wholesale energy markets opened the week on a steadier footing after a five-day bull run lost momentum, with mild and windy conditions weighing on prompt gas and power even as crude continues to provide underlying support.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 27 April 2026

Wholesale energy markets have opened the week firmer, with gas and power both extending Friday's gains as cooler weather forecasts and weaker wind output sharpen near-term demand against an already constrained supply backdrop.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 24 April 2026

European energy markets extended their rally on Thursday as the US-Iran conflict, now in its ninth week, continued to lift gas, power, oil, coal and carbon in tandem, with UK NBP closing higher for a fourth consecutive session.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 23 April 2026

European gas and UK power extended a third consecutive day of gains as escalation in the Strait of Hormuz and a fragile US-Iran ceasefire kept a firm bid under the wider energy complex.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 22 April 2026

European gas markets rallied through yesterday's session as the US-Iran ceasefire deadline approached without a credible path to a permanent agreement, before steadying overnight when Washington extended the ceasefire indefinitely.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 21 April 2026

European wholesale energy markets reversed part of Monday's sharp gains this morning as traders weighed cautious optimism around US-Iran talks in Pakistan against continued tightness in Norwegian gas supply and a deteriorating UK wind outlook. Oil markets steadied near $95/bbl after surging on the weekend closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with the wider commodity complex remaining sensitive to developments ahead of Wednesday's ceasefire expiry.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 20 April 2026

Wholesale gas and power prices have rebounded this morning, unwinding most of Friday's sharp sell-off after Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend following the US navy's seizure of an Iranian cargo vessel. The wider commodity complex has followed suit, with Brent crude recovering around 6 per cent, UK carbon extending its recent run, and peace talks scheduled for Islamabad today remaining in doubt.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 17 April 2026

Risk premium remained the dominant influence across UK wholesale markets yesterday, with firmer settlements across gas, power, crude and carbon driven by Middle East tensions, Norwegian supply losses and a material UK policy shift on carbon. Friday's session has opened with a softer front end as reports of a 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire filter through, though further-out contracts are holding firm on unresolved supply uncertainty.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 16 April 2026

Gas and power markets fell sharply on Wednesday as the US-Iran ceasefire continued to hold and mild temperatures suppressed demand. A partial recovery emerged on Thursday morning as Norwegian maintenance tightened prompt supply.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 15 April 2026

Energy prices fell sharply as geopolitical risk premia continued to unwind across the complex, with the US-Iran ceasefire holding and fresh diplomatic signals pointing to further de-escalation. Mild weather, rising wind output and healthy Norwegian supply added to the bearish tone.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 14 April 2026

Gas and power prices opened softer on Tuesday morning as geopolitical risk premia eased slightly. Rising European temperatures are trimming heating demand and supporting storage injections, while an improving wind outlook for mid-week is weighing on near-curve contracts.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 13 April 2026

Energy markets opened sharply higher on Monday after US-Iran peace talks collapsed over the weekend and the US announced a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, reversing Friday's risk-premium unwind and reigniting concerns over global crude and LNG supply routes.

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James Smith James Smith

Energy Market Report - 10 April 2026

Markets opened softer this morning after a volatile week dominated by Middle East tensions, though the relief proved tentative as the US-Iran ceasefire showed further signs of fracturing.

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