Author: Timothy St. John

Timothy St John is a seasoned financial analyst and writer, catering to the dynamic landscapes of the US and European markets. Boasting over a decade of extensive freelance writing experience, he has made significant contributions to reputable platforms such as Yahoo!Finance, business.com: Expert Business Advice, Tips, and Resources - Business.com, and numerous others. Timothy's expertise lies in in-depth research and comprehensive coverage of stock and cryptocurrency movements, coupled with a keen understanding of the economic factors influencing currency dynamics. Timothy majored in English at East Tennessee State University, and you can find him on LinkedIn.

US Natural Gas Hovers Near $3 before EIA Storage Report

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Thursday, U.S. natural gas futures rose to $2.99 per MMBtu as oil prices also increased around the world, but the new EIA report could send the price back down.

LNG production is expected to increase this year.

Iran has denied the U.S. plan for a ceasefire in the Middle East, but they are considering a path toward resolution. The development caused oil prices to spike this morning and gave the U.S. LNG futures a boost as well, sending them close to $3 once more.

The incoming EIA report is expected to show a 51 Bcf withdrawal. If so, that would be the last weekly withdrawal before winter is over, and inventory levels are still elevated. They will likely continue to remain that way through the springtime.

Storage Report to Send Futures Lower

Weather forecasts call for rising temperatures all the way through April 9th, and the warmer temperatures should drive down the already low domestic demand for natural gas. The upcoming storage report from the EIA will tell the market how much gas was withdrawn last week, and when the inventory totals are calculated, we expect higher than normal levels to be reported.

Elevated inventory has been a problem for the domestic LNG market for over a month, and with demand dropping, the prices are sure to go down in the coming weeks. We may even see a 2026 spring and summer stretch similar to what happened in 2025. Last year, inventory levels were very high and demand remained low through the hot months, leading to very low market prices for LNG.

Production is expected to ramp up later this year, with several production facilities adding new lines and others opening up to increase supply to the United States market. These developments will likely raise inventory levels even higher and keep market prices subdued until late fall of 2026.

Several new gas-run power plants are expected to open in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, and a new trade deal with Japan should result in a new gas-fired power plant in Appalachia as well. These power plants will be designed to meet increasing power needs and could help spur growth in the LNG market. Meanwhile, the world is watching developments in Iran that have an effect on the global LNG market but little impact on US prices.

Oil Increase Pushes Dow down 200 Points

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Timothy St. John

U.S. stock markets fell on Thursday as oil prices rose 4% and caused the Dow to lose 233 points after Wednesday’s upswing, erasing most of the gains.

Energy stocks jump while tech stocks fall on Thursday.

Swiftly changing developments in Iran led to oil price increases on Thursday and pushed stock values back down. The Dow fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq lost 0.8%. The S&P 500 was hit the hardest with a drop of 1.2% as Brent crude oil prices climbed to $106 per barrel.

These fluctuations are the result of Trump’s peace plan stalling as he announced on Truth Social this week that Iran needs to “get serious soon.” He threatened decisive action that could prolong the conflict or result in serious consequences.

Energy Stocks Remain Volatile

Those expecting a quick end to the fighting in Iran are disappointed by the turn of events and Iran’s seeming rejection of Trump’s peace plan. According to President Donald Trump, Iran’s negotiators are considering the plan, but Iran’s foreign minister said that while a proposal for resolution is being considered, no plans are in place to talk with the United States.

The bullish session that the stock market enjoyed Wednesday has been dramatically and decisively countered by Thursday’s sharp downturn. As Iran and the United States offer different accounts of what is happening, the market is not sure how to react.

One of Thursday’s big winners so far is Greenland Energy Co. (GLND) on the Nasdaq Composite index, which posted gains of 114%. The newly formed company is the result of a merger between Greenland Exploration Limited and Pelican Acquisition Corporation.

Over on the S&P 500, one of the top gainers there was the Valero Energy Corp (VLO) with gains of 3.42%, and their modest gains are indicative of how many energy companies are performing today. Rising fuel prices are pushing energy stocks higher while tech stocks fall lower after strong gains the previous day.

Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are both down Thursday, falling 1.95% and 2.99%, respectively. These stocks may snap back if fuel prices swing down again this week, but for now, these leading AI stocks are struggling to hold their ground against poor consumer sentiment and fears of a tightening economy.

Ethereum Price Prediction after Launch of Bitmine Staking Service

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Wednesday, Ethereum (ETH) gained 2.89% to hit $2,163 (ETH/USD) as Bitmine launched their Ethereum staking service that they say is the largest in the world.

Ethereum is bullish after the Bitmine platform launch and possible peace in Iran.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies launched the MAVAN (Made in America Validator Network) staking platform on Wednesday, creating what is being called the largest platform of its kind for Ethereum. The ETH rate jumped nearly 3% in 24 hours, and trade volume was up to $18.16 billion (per 24 hours) at the time of publication.

[[ETH/USD]]

Ethereum’s gains can also be attributed to a bullish crypto market that saw Bitcoin (BTC) add 2.5% on Wednesday and Solana (SOL) gain 3% from the previous day. The cryptocurrency market made impressive gains after pulling back Tuesday amid fluctuations in the Iran-U.S. conflict. Now that a plan for peace there has been laid out, oil prices are dropping and stocks and crypto tokens are on the rise.

New ETH Price Prediction Anticipates Strong Growth

The MAVAN platform is designed to be one of the leading staking operations in the world, and Ethereum users who stake there can earn digital rewards. The crypto staking platform gives holders a way to essentially earn interest by keeping their assets locked to the blockchain as it pays out to incentivize holding onto coins.

Bitmine has $6.8 billion in USD staked on Ethereum now, and that makes them the largest Ethereum staking entity globally. They could earn around $300 million each year from their investment. They are demonstrating tremendous confidence in the cryptocurrency, and this may be the right time for them to launch their platform.

Ethereum has gained 18% from its early February low for 2026, and the token is still looking bullish. The coin and the wider market have both stabilized since dropping dramatically from record highs in October, and we may soon see the market surge to tremendous heights as several factors start to work in favor of digital assets.

The stock market’s recovery in recent days has helped push the crypto market higher. With many global tariffs repealed and a possible end in sight for the Iran conflict, we could see a bullish market for stocks and crypto tokens. Ethereum and other crypto assets are set to climb rapidly later this year if the new cryptocurrency regulatory act is approved. This bill has been in progress for a while and made tremendous steps forward earlier this year.

Ethereum has been showing indications of upward trajectory with the ability to retain gains in recent weeks. Even with Middle East conflict occurring, the coin has demonstrated resiliency and growth, and that bodes well for its long-term prospects.

Gas Futures Find Three-Week Low, Eradicating War Gains

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

All of the gains made since the beginning of the Iran conflict have been wiped out by Wednesday’s low for U.S. natural gas futures around $2.90.

Gas production is up in the United States and raising inventory levels.

The Iran war has pushed LNG prices higher in the United States, but not as high as in other parts of the world. The increases have been completely erased this week as the price fell around $2.90 per MMBtu. This is the lowest the LNG rate has been in three weeks, and demand is rapidly falling for domestic providers.

LNG pricing charts show weakness throughout the United States and falling interest in the market as demand slips and temperatures warm. The summer months will be here soon, and the natural gas market will hit its 2026 low at that point while heating demand is miniscule. Export numbers are lower as well as the global energy crisis appears to be changing.

Iranian Peace Influences U.S. LNG Less Than Weather

The domestic natural gas market is looking more closely at weather patterns and forecasts than it is at what is happening with oil fields and gas production plants in the Middle East. While global gas markets are fluctuating wildly with each development in Iran, the United States LNG rate is mostly steady. There was a sharp drop on Monday, but that was mostly due to new weather forecasts and inventory level data.

Despite high demand for LNG in areas of the world where the supply is at risk, most of those needs are not being met by United States natural gas suppliers. So, even as fighting continues in the Middle East and the United States and Iran attack one another’s oil inventories, exports from the U.S. have barely increased since the conflict started.

At the same time, inventory levels across the U.S. are higher than they were in February, and they are sitting above the 5-year average. With little demand, warming temperatures, and rising inventory, natural gas is bound for a lower price soon.

LNG suppliers are forced to sell their gas at a discount to cover operating costs as demand diminishes. Some Texas suppliers are recording negative pricing, selling the gas at a loss just to keep their doors open during this period of volatility. The hope that inventors would level out and fall below average levels after strong winter storms in January has disappeared. Production has increased at such a rate that inventories are higher than they have been in a while, and the situation will likely only get worse for those hoping to invest in the natural gas market.

Bitcoin Climbs 1% as It Builds Bullish Momentum

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

Bitcoin (BTC) briefly shot up to $71.9K on Wednesday amid a fluctuating market that was primarily bullish after news broke that oil prices were dropping and peace was a likely possibility in the Middle East.

Bitcoin's trading range allows for some volatility but shows indications of growth. — Bitcoin’s trading range allows for some volatility but shows indications of growth.

Over the last 24 hours, Bitcoin moved between $68,934 (BTC/USD)and $71,925, mostly remaining high as oil and gas prices fell. The U.S. government laid out a plan for peace in the Middle East with Iran, and stocks and the crypto market have been climbing as a result.

[[BTC/USD]]

Trade volume rose to $39.3 billion for the coin over the last 24 hours, indicating bullish momentum and spurring investors to hold onto their assets. We could easily see a jump to $75K of Bitcoin before the end of the week.

Bitcoin Price Prediction Following Peace News

The potential for fighting to end in the Middle East is much stronger now than it was last week, although Iran and the United States are still attacking one another. Bitcoin appears bullish based on the news we have now, but the situation could change quickly. It looks like investors are hungry for any opportunity to boost the BTC price.

That is excellent news for Bitcoin whales who are playing the long game. It tells us that investor sentiment is high, even when the coin has minor setbacks like it did Tuesday. The cryptocurrency market and the stock market both slipped yesterday, but they have made a strong recovery today and are headed much higher as selling pressure eases dramatically.

Bitcoin is neither breaking out nor breaking down, and that indicates some volatility and the potential to go either way if the economic winds shift. Long-term Bitcoin charts show a trend toward rising value, but that trend is weak. In other words, we are likely to see from Bitcoin what we have seen through much of 2026- upward movement that is gradual but decisive. Even if Bitcoin surges to $75K this week, it may slip backward a little and consolidate lower without strong support.

Dow Shoots up 400 Points on Falling Oil Prices

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

The Dow Jones gained 0.9% Wednesday morning in early trading thanks to news that an Iran peace plan is being developed and oil prices are dropping.

The stock market is bullish thanks to news of possible peace in the Middle East.

Premarket trading saw all three major U.S. stock indices jump after an announcement from the New York Times that the Trump administration has laid out a peace plan for Iran. Oil futures slipped and the Nasdaq grew 1%. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% and the Dow added 421 points, equating to a gain of 0.9%.

Fighting is continuing in the Middle East, but there is a clear path to a peaceful resolution now, and it is up to Iran to accept it or counter it with terms that the Trump administration will accept. Meanwhile stocks found renewed strength on the hope that an end may be in sight and on the certainty that at least oil prices are lower than they were the previous day.

Oil Market Fluctuations Create Opportunity for Stock Growth

Piper Sandler’s Chief Investment Officer Michael Kantrowitz said that “Oil and interest rates are driving the equity market.” As oil prices fluctuate and then elevate, they can add to the inflation problem that has kept the Federal Reserve back from issuing interest rate cuts. The fear of inflation and rising gas prices has created volatility in the stock market that is much stronger than it was earlier in the year.

The stock market jumped on Monday after news broke that the United States and Iran were in peace talks. When Iran countered that news, the market slipped again and lost much of its Monday gains. Now, the stock market is up again on news of potential peace in the Middle East, with the stock indices each up around 1%.

The biggest gainers on most indices are energy stocks, with Robin Energy (RBNE) climbing 91% and Eagle Nuclear Energy (NUCL) adding 35%. We are also seeing gains from tech stocks this week, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) gained 6.43% on Wednesday morning while Hewlett Packard (HPE) topped the S&P 500 index with gains of 9.14%.

This week has also seen an increase for many financial and industrial stocks, with a large portion of them gaining more Wednesday than they did Monday morning. This indicates a bullish movement that was only slightly hindered by Tuesday’s drawback, and we could start to see some record highs for many stocks in these categories very soon, even amid ongoing fighting in the Middle East.

Amazon Stock May Be Severely Undervalued after Middle East Disruption

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Timothy St. John

Drone strikes in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates disrupted power to Amazon Web Services on Monday, and the service was still struggling Tuesday as stock hit a 2026 low.

Amazon stock is down after drone strike knocked out some web services.

Amazon (AMZN) stock fell to $208 per share, the lowest price since June of last year, and some experts say it is undervalued. This typically high performing stock has been low since early February, remaining below $220 from then. Amazon is one of what are known as the Magnificent Seven stocks, which is a group of strong market movers that investors pay close attention to for their impact on the wider economy.

The stock has been struggling through the Iranian conflict as consumers watch their spending closely while they pay more for gas during the ongoing crisis. Oil has soared past $100 per barrel during much of the fighting. Amazon has taken a hit from the recent drone strikes as they are pulled into the conflict indirectly. The strikes have hurt the most lucrative aspect of their business.

Amazon’s 4th Quarter Performance

In early February, Amazon reported their 4th quarterly earnings and beat expectations. They reported sales for North America of $127 billion that were 10% higher than the year before. Their Amazon Web Services brought in $35.6 billion as well, which was an increase of 24% from the previous year.

The company’s net sales of $213 billion marked a 14% year-over-year increase and yet was not enough to keep their stock price elevated. The stock fell sharply following the earnings report as investors feared that Amazon may be spending too much on research and development costs. Their capex spending of $131 billion in 2025 shocked investors and shareholders and put a dent in their Q4 revenue celebrations.

At a time when tech companies are under strict scrutiny for their capital expenditures, Amazon drew the ire of tis shareholders who were concerned that they may not be as profitable as they were a few years ago when the focus was less on chasing the bleeding edge of artificial intelligence and more on website optimization.

Is Amazon a Good Buy Right Now?

Even with Amazon stock low at the moment, it may be worth investing in them. In fact, this could be the perfect time. They are still a couple of months out from their next quarterly earnings report, so the stock has a chance to climb before shareholders worry too much about capex spending. The company has made no serious measures to reign in their capital expenditures, so we can expect that their stock will take another hit after their Q1 revenue report, even if the numbers beat Wall Street expectations again.

Outside of capex spending, though, Amazon is an excellent performing stock that the market pays attention to. Their disruptions on the AWS are temporary, and once they get those services back up and running smoothly, they should have a small stock boost. Amazon stock is rarely so cheap, particularly in relation to its cash flow.

Their e-commerce service is unparalleled, and there is no runner up that is even close to them on sales numbers and revenue in this market. They will likely continue to report billions of dollars in earnings each quarter as they fill a need that has only grown in the last decade. This may be the perfect time to jump on board and buy into this stock while the price is low.

Natural Gas up after 6% Drop Monday; Traders Uncertain on Iran Peace Talks

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Timothy St. John

Is President Donald Trump having peace talks with Iran or not? Iran’s government denies Trump’s claim, and U.S. natural gas prices have fluctuated wildly this week and are now climbing.

The United States LNG rates are higher Tuesday as the market settles down.

Natural gas futures rose to $2.90 per MMBtu on Tuesday after a sharp fall on Monday. Yesterday marked a three-week low for LNG futures as Trump announced that he was having productive peace talks with Iran’s leadership. But Iran’s leaders quickly told the media that there were no peace talks.

Gas futures in the United States are up 0.5%, but well below the $3 per MMBtu that was the norm in recent weeks. Warm weather forecasts have kept the prices down recently, as the market anticipates less demand through the end of March and early April as the temperature rises.

Accounting for LNG Price Fluctuations in the United States

U.S. gas futures have not been influenced by the Iran conflict as much as other regions. The LNG rate has fluctuated as the global situation shifts, but only marginally, and Tuesday’s natural gas rate is more a reflection of the weather forecasts and U.S. LNG supply levels than the situation in Iran and the surrounding areas.

The price of natural gas in the United States has remained mostly stable throughout the conflict in the Middle East that began back in late February. Meanwhile, crude oil is up 3.67% and gasoline has climbed 3.32% over the last day. At the same time, gold has dropped slightly, and the stock market has dipped after a strong upswing the previous day.

After the most recent 6% drop for the LNG rate in the United States, the market should not expect radical changes to the price. Weather forecasts and supply levels will likely dictate the price movement more than anything else, and these are set at high incoming temperatures and relatively high inventory levels for now.

The most recent EIA report shows that inventory levels for natural gas are around 10.5% above the level they were at 12 months prior. They are also higher than the five-year average by 2.6%. Production has been increasing throughout the United States while demand drops, and that will likely remain the situation through the spring and summer months.

Bitcoin Increasingly Volatile Near $71K

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Tuesday, Bitcoin (BTC) faltered near $71K, losing some of the steam from the previous day as investors stepped back from their busy trading and reevaluated their positions.

Fighting has stopped in Iran, giving the crypto market a chance to breathe.

Across the cryptocurrency market, price movement is slowing down, settling above where the values were late last week. It is obvious that investors are hesitant to keep up Monday’s bullish momentum after peace talks began between Iran and the United States. But Iran’s leaders said that no talks have taken place, making traders backpedal on some of their bold moves.

[[BTC/USD]]

Bitcoin is at $70,596 (BTC/USD) now and holding, down just 0.75% over the last hour. The coin has a trade volume of around $37 billion and is up nearly 4% for the month, but its current position will be a proving point. Can Bitcoin keep moving from here or will it stall out as traders hesitate?

Bitcoin’s Bullish Factors Point Toward Strong Gains

The spot Bitcoin ETF market is performing well right now, with $167 million in inflows recorded for Monday. That broke a three-day streak of withdrawals and indicates that Bitcoin may be changing course. The question is whether that course correction will stick. What this inflow report tells us is that Bitcoin may be gearing up to swing higher now.

Even if Trump is not having productive peace talks with Iran like he claims to be, the fact that he is willing to announce talks with the rival country is promising. It means that there could be an end to the fighting very soon. For now, missile strikes have stopped in the region, and that has allowed the price of oil to retreat while stocks climb. The crypto market is higher as well since talk of peace started early this week.

If pressure from the Middle East remains off the crypto market, then there will be opportunity for Bitcoin and other coins to move higher and continue their upward momentum we saw from earlier in the month. If fighting escalates and this fragile ceasefire is broken, then we expect Bitcoin to fall quickly or at least slow down.

We could be hearing good news from the U.S. government soon about legislation for a new regulatory framework for cryptocurrency. If that in-progress legislation is passed, it would make the crypto market feel safer for investors and would open up access to the market through ranking institutions. That could swing the crypto market upward in a big way later this year and help make up for the bearish trend that took over in late October last year.

Bullish Market Pulls Back with S&P 500 and Nasdaq Down

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Timothy St. John

The stock market indices climbed quickly on Monday after news of peace talks with Iran, but the market slipped on Tuesday, bringing the Dow and S&P 500 down 0.2%.

The Dow dipped Tuesday but held onto most of its gains.

The Nasdaq fell the smallest on Tuesday with a loss of just 0.1%, but all three indices were slightly in the red as early trading began. The market is volatile and fluctuating quickly amid changing global economics as oil and gas production hesitantly resumes. The stocks moved boldly under the impetus of optimistic traders this week, but other stocks are moving more cautiously.

The talks between Iran and the United States could result in a stable region and a measure of peace, but the current status could change rapidly as well. Investors are wary about jumping in on the news of peace talks too quickly in case everything shifts.

Stocks Remain Elevated

When looking at Tuesday’s stock numbers, it appears that the market is losing its upward movement. However, it is important to note that most of the gains from the previous day are still accounted for. The Dow increased the most on Monday, with more than 1,100 points added to its total. Even though the index slipped Tuesday morning. The Dow is well ahead of where it was late last week but still has ground to make up for what was lost during the Middle East fighting.

The situation is similar for the Nasdaq and the S&P 500. These indices fell over the last couple weeks as Iran, Israel, and the United States engaged in missile strikes and other military action. The conflict resulted in damages to at least five oil shipping vessels and multiple oil production plants and oil fields. Gas and oil prices spiked to their highest point for the year as a global supply crisis loomed.

As a result, stock values plummeted, with investors fearing that the economy could not support rising oil prices as well as strong stocks. Stock indices are up today from where they were last week, but the market has been in decline for weeks. Even key stocks like Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are down from their starting point in 2026 and from their late January/early February highs. The stock market may be mildly bullish right now, but it has a long way to go to become net positive for 2026.