Natural gas held firm Thursday, consolidating gains with an inside day as price tests resistance at the 50-Day average. A close above it strengthens the bullish breakout case.
Natural gas tested the week’s high of $3.13 again on Thursday, with the day shaping into an inside session. The range, from a low of $3.02 to a high just below resistance, holds mostly in the upper half of Wednesday’s candle — a sign of sustained buying interest. Importantly, resistance this week has developed near an interim swing high from August 7 and aligns with the 50-Day moving average, currently $3.14 and falling. This marks the first test of the 50-Day average as resistance since the bearish reversal of July 21, making an initial reaction at this level expected.
Momentum has been building since last week’s bullish breakout from a falling wedge pattern. That advance was reinforced by a reclaim of several key resistance levels, including the 20-Day moving average. If today’s low of $3.02 is broken, natural gas could revisit support near the long-term anchored VWAP, now at $2.96, with further downside risk toward the 20-Day moving average at $2.89. For now, though, the market continues to trade well above those levels, suggesting that buyers remain in control.
The 50-Day moving average is a critical pivot. A sustained advance and daily close above this average would open the door for a rally through the July swing high of $3.19 and potentially toward the 200-Day average, now near $3.50. Conversely, another rejection here would not be surprising given the nearly 20% rally off the recent $2.62 low. A brief consolidation or pullback would provide a healthier setup for continuation, rather than a straight-line advance.
On the larger timeframe, natural gas continues to show signs of strength. Last week produced a wide-ranging bullish engulfing pattern on the weekly chart, supported by a bullish reversal confirmation this week. A weekly close above last week’s high of $3.02 would cement the breakout and bolster the case for a push through current resistance. That confirmation, coupled with strong price behavior above the AVWAP and 20-Day average, underscores improving demand.
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With over 20 years of experience in financial markets, Bruce is a seasoned finance MBA and CMT® charter holder. Having worked as head of trading strategy at hedge funds and a corporate advisor for trading firms, Bruce shares his expertise in futures to retail investors, providing actionable insights through both technical and fundamental analyses.