China's LNG market turned softer in mid-February as seaborne inflows and robust domestic output outpaced winter demand, triggering a weekly correction. Early January volatility followed the NDRC's storage trim releasing volumes into the spot market, while late-January rallying reflected heavier heating nominations and routine procurement ahead of the national LNG futures launch. By mid-February, absence of fresh institutional directives and steady pipeline deliveries reduced urgency among buyers, shifting sentiment from defensive restocking to opportunistic spot lifting and leaving spot levels under pressure. Demand patterns remained bifurcated: power generation and city-gas/residential heating remained the strongest engines for spot offtake, with northern distributors drawing higher nominations in the face of ample stocks. Industrial gas demand in chemicals and ceramics stayed steady rather than robust, with coal-to-gas switching offering intermittent support. LNG Market participants built physical cover ahead of futures activity. The outlook calls for a mixed near-term with a modest rebound, followed by mild corrections into spring and a pickup into early summer.
