U.S. Natural Gas Futures Surge Over 50% in Two Days Amid Soaring Demand
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 21 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Price Surge: U.S. natural gas futures have surged over 50% in just two days, with front-month contracts reaching a new year-to-date high of $4.657/MMBtu, indicating a tight supply-demand balance in the market.
- Global Impact: Cold weather has caused energy prices to skyrocket worldwide, with Japan's power prices hitting a three-month high and European gas futures up 29% this month, reflecting strong international demand for energy.
- Production Risks: Snow is forecasted in Texas, a key natural gas production area, significantly increasing the likelihood of temporary outages and reduced exports, which could further drive prices higher.
- Consumer Pressure: While rising natural gas prices benefit U.S. producers, they pose a challenge for consumers facing higher energy bills, becoming a troubling political issue for President Trump.
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Analyst Views on AR
Wall Street analysts forecast AR stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AR is 45.40 USD with a low forecast of 36.00 USD and a high forecast of 55.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
16 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 34.460
Low
36.00
Averages
45.40
High
55.00
Current: 34.460
Low
36.00
Averages
45.40
High
55.00
About AR
Antero Resources Corporation is an independent natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of unconventional properties located in the Appalachian Basin in West Virginia and Ohio. The Company’s segments include the exploration, development and production of natural gas, NGLs and oil; marketing of excess firm transportation capacity, and midstream services through its equity method investment in Antero Midstream. The Company targets large, repeatable resource plays where horizontal drilling and advanced fracture stimulation technologies provide the means to economically develop and produce natural gas, NGLs and oil from unconventional formations. The Company holds approximately 521,000 net acres of natural gas, NGLs and oil properties located in the Appalachian Basin primarily in West Virginia and Ohio.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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