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Asian spot LNG rates inch up on emerging Chinese need

Asian area melted natural gas (LNG) costs inched up on Friday after staying flat today, amid concerns over some freight delays due to bad weather in Australia and as Asian buyers embraced the low prices.

The average LNG cost for April shipment into north-east Asia << LNG-AS >, which expires on Friday, remained the same from last week at $8.60 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), a. level last seen in late April 2021, industry sources approximated.

Nevertheless, the price for May shipment leapt to $9/mmBtu, the. sources included.

Market gamers continue to eye firm Asian demand for. Atlantic supply, with the inter-basin arbitrage (cargo diversion. from one market to another) for U.S. loadings holding open in. current days, said Samuel Good, head of LNG rates at commodity. rates agency Argus.

With European invoices currently slowing up until now this month,. the incentive for inter-basin streams could weigh on European LNG. supply further in the coming weeks, he stated, adding that Asia. LNG futures likewise rose greatly, equaling Europe.

Great and other trading sources stated rates got some. support after an earthquake with an initial magnitude of 5.8. hit eastern Japan early on Friday, but the lack of a tsunami. alerting quelled concerns.

The market is also watching carefully how a tropical cyclone. striking Australia will impact northwest Australian LNG. terminals.

Trading sources said the bad weather condition was affecting traffic. at Hag LNG center and expected some freight hold-ups however said. it wouldn't have a major impact.

In Europe, gas rates are checking an upside pattern. stocks are well filled for the time of the year, and the. end of the winter is around the corner, said Hans Van. Cleef, chief energy economist at PZ - Energy Research Study && .

Method. He said that while more pressure on prices might be expected. in the coming weeks and months as the filling season is. starting, It plainly seems that financiers are not confident of. more price decreases in the future.

S&P Global Commodity Insights evaluated its everyday North West. Europe LNG Marker (NWM) cost standard for freights delivered in. April on an ex-ship (DES) basis at $7.881/ mmBtu on March 14, a. $ 0.40/ mmBtu discount to the April gas cost at the Dutch TTF. center.

Argus assessed the cost at $7.950/ mmBtu, while Spark. Products evaluated it at $7.902/ mmBtu.

Somewhere else in Europe, the 174,000 cubic meters Energos Force. FSRU has gotten to Stade, Germany, where it will take its place. as the nation's fifth LNG import facility, stated Robert Songer,. LNG analyst at information intelligence firm ICIS.

In the United States, U.S. natural gas futures rebounded. from an early two-week low to acquire about 8% on Thursday after a. weekly report showed a larger-than-expected storage withdrawal. recently.

Spot LNG freight rates were consistent this week, with Atlantic. rates approximated at $50,250/ day on Friday, and Pacific rates at. $ 50,750/ day, said Qasim Afghan, an expert at Glow Commodities.