The best deal of the second half of the year

Today we are writing about the best deal of the second half of 2019.

While many believed that this is the pound purchases (this is potentially the best deal in the foreign exchange market, but not in the financial markets as a whole), but no, the best deal is natural gas purchases.

Its current price looks extremely attractive for several reasons.

let's start off with the fact that over the last 9 months, natural gas prices of international markets have fallen from $ 5 to $ 2 per MMBTU, that is, almost 2.5 times (!). There were a lot of reasons for, but the main ones were the sharp increase in gas production in the USA due to the shale revolution and the intensified struggle in the gas market for a share, where price became the main weapon. The unexpectedly warm winter, especially in the USA, as well as the trade war escalation, led to increased fears about the demand growth for natural gas.

What is happening is very similar to what we observed in the oil market in 2014, when Saudi Arabia announced that it would increase production to increase its share in the oil market. As a result, oil prices for half a year fell by about 2.5 times. But after that, oil prices rose by 2.5 times.

how the situation on the oil market was straightened out. - the collusion of a number of oil producers within the OPEC + framework and the artificial reduction of supply on the oil market.

Could this happen on the gas market? The answer is unequivocal: yes. Moreover, it is much easier to do on the gas market, rather than on the oil market. If OPEC controls less than 40% of the market and therefore additional participants were needed such as Russia and a number of other countries, then the GECF gas cartel controls more than 50% of the market. And the top 5 countries in gas production hold a market share of over 65%. All you need is 5 countries to change the balance of power in the market. Recall, in order to organize an OPEC + agreement in the oil market, 25 (!) Countries were needed.

However, such a deal in the gas market may not be needed. US production growth is rapidly falling (from 50% to 10%). And according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts, in the first quarter of 2020 gas production will begin to decline.

Natural gas today is the main source of energy generation: According to British Petroleum estimates, global energy demand will increase by a third by 2040. As a result, the growth in demand for natural gas will be about 50%. That is, you really should not worry about.

A potential positive force majeure for the gas market could be the dollar devaluation. Whether it happens as a result of US currency interventions or would be associated with an easing monetary policy by the Fed, we do believe that there is a chance of a decline in the U.S. dollar value. And since gas prices are denominated in dollars, its fall will automatically mean an increase in gas prices.

The minimum goals in case of correction development are growth by $ 2.7, which is equivalent to 35% excluding leverage (with a leverage of 1 to 10, which is about 350 (!)%). As for the medium-term goals, it is appropriate to expect the achievement of the $ 3.3 mark. Profitability, in this case, will be unrealistic 65%. Unrealistic because taking into account the leverage 1 to 10, this is equivalent to 650% of the profitability of the deal.