'Total craziness' as gas prices extend record highs on energy rally, low wind, cold

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Updated 06 October 2021
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'Total craziness' as gas prices extend record highs on energy rally, low wind, cold

  • "It's amazing what we are looking at. Total craziness: Trader
  • European gas prices were also supported by ongoing concerns about supply scarcity

Dutch and British wholesale gas prices extended record highs on Wednesday morning, in line with rallying energy markets, and as forecasts of lower wind and cooler weather lift demand and supply remains scarce.


The November gas price at the Dutch TTF hub, a European benchmark, rose by 25.60 euros to 143.10 euros per megawatt hour on wednesday and earlier in the session reached a record 155.00 euros per megawatt hours.

The British day-ahead contract was up 0.61 pounds at 3.40 pounds per therm, also a new record high.


"It's amazing what we are looking at. Total craziness," a gas trader said.


Power markets were taking the lead, with German baseload for Thursday delivery touching 400 euros per megawatt hour earlier on Wednesday, he added.


"A big theme for gas is that we might need withdrawals next week due to colder weather... but of course nothing justifies these moves," the trader said.


"The first half of the next week will be cloudier and cooler with showers. Temperatures will be below normal," Refinitiv meteorologist Georg Mueller said.


UK storage levels were 100% full on Wednesday, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe data.


European gas prices were also supported by ongoing concerns about supply scarcity, analysts at Engie Energyscan said.


Pipeline deliveries from Russia have been lower since the summer while Asian liquefied natural gas (LNG) spot prices climbed to a record high of nearly $40 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) on Tuesday.


Dubai’s GDP hits $96.6bn in first 9 months of 2025 

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Dubai’s GDP hits $96.6bn in first 9 months of 2025 

Dubai’s economy expanded 4.7 percent in the first nine months of 2025, lifting gross domestic product to 355 billion dirhams ($96.6 billion) as growth accelerated across finance, construction and services, according to state data. 

GDP reached 113.8 billion dirhams in the third quarter alone, up 5.3 percent from a year earlier, the Emirates News Agency – WAM reported, citing official figures.  

Private-sector forecasts point to continued expansion, with a December research note from Emirates NBD projecting growth of about 4.5 percent in 2026, supported by tourism, investment and infrastructure momentum. 

In its latest analysis, WAM said the sustained growth in Dubai’s economy reflects the vitality of the local economy and the success of development policies driving the emirate’s prosperity. 

Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “The growth we are seeing today in Dubai’s economy is beyond what the numbers show, as it means more economic prosperity, family well-being, and growing confidence in the future of the Emirate.”   

He added: “Dubai does not rely on a single sector, but on an economic system in which all sectors are integrated, to grow together strongly and steadily, based on harmonious work teams united by the determination to achieve the highest goals of the Emirate.” 

Health and social work activities were the fastest-growing segment, expanding 15.4 percent year on year in the first nine months and contributing about 1.5 percent to GDP. Financial and insurance activities grew 8.5 percent and accounted for roughly 12 percent of output, highlighting the emirate’s role as a regional financial hub. 

In the first three quarters of 2025, the construction sector grew by 8.5 percent and contributed 6.7 percent to the emirate’s GDP. 

The real estate sector expanded by 6.7 percent during the first nine months of 2025, with its contribution to Dubai’s GDP reaching 8.2 percent. 

Director General of the Department of Economy and Tourism, Helal Saeed Al Marri, said: “Dubai’s economic performance during the first nine months of 2025 reflects our ability to sustain and accelerate growth.”  

He added: “Collaboration with our partners in the public and private sectors will enable us to launch initiatives that enhance competitiveness and open new horizons of opportunity, ensuring that Dubai remains on track to achieve the ambitious goals of Dubai’s D33 Economic Agenda.”