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European Gas Options-Buying Jumped During Recent Price Swings
Intense swings in European natural gas prices have prompted traders to pile into options contracts, with investors seeking to protect themselves against losses as the conflict in the Middle East risks escalation. The volume of Dutch natural gas options traded earlier this week surpassed 100,000 per day, according to data from Intercontinental Exchange Inc. That’s almost 50% higher than late last week, the data show. Demand for protection increased at the same time as benchmark futures jumped over 20% during four consecutive sessions through Tuesday, erasing this year’s losses. Since then, front-month contracts ... (full story)