0755 GMT - European natural-gas prices climb in early trading, with the benchmark Dutch TTF front-month contract up 2.2% to 52 euros a megawatt-hour. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to remain minimal until early April, while LNG production in Qatar and the UAE is projected to return to full capacity gradually by the second half of May, according to analysts at Rystad Energy. "Disruptions to Middle Eastern LNG supply have shifted price formation toward Asia, where more than 85% of Qatar and UAE LNG volumes were delivered in 2025," says Kaushal Ramesh, vice president of gas and LNG research. "Europe is expected to require an additional 18 million tonnes of LNG year-on-year in 2026, meaning TTF prices will largely be determined by a no-arbitrage condition." No-arbitrage means European gas prices rise to match what buyers are paying in Asia. (giulia.petroni@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 17, 2026 03:57 ET (07:57 GMT)

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