Geopolitical risks rise, European natural gas prices increase

After the attack on Hamas's leadership in Qatar, geopolitical risks have intensified, leading to an increase in European natural gas prices in the latter part of the morning session. The benchmark Dutch TTF gas price rose by 0.7% to €33.17 per megawatt hour, with a cumulative increase of over 3% this week. Analysts at ANZ Bank stated, "Although Qatar exports a large amount of liquefied natural gas to Asia, it is also an important supplier to Europe." "Any disruption could affect global prices, especially with only a few weeks left before the heating season begins in the region." Meanwhile, reports indicate that the EU is exploring new sanctions against Russian banks and energy companies