Nat gas: a market shaped by geography

Natural gas is one of the most important — and often misunderstood — energy commodities in the world. While oil usually dominates the conversation, natural gas plays a crucial role in heating homes, fueling power plants, supporting industrial activity and acting as a bridge fuel in the global energy transition. In this episode, we explore how natural gas markets actually work. Why are there different regional prices? Why can gas prices diverge dramatically between the US, Europe and Asia? And how do traders and investors gain exposure to natural gas through futures, ETFs, or energy companies? Listen to find out more! Ipek Ozkardeskaya has begun her financial career in 2010 in the structured products desk of the Swiss Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. She worked at HSBC Private Bank in Geneva in relation to high and ultra-high net worth clients. In 2012, she started as FX Strategist at Swissquote Bank. She worked as a Senior Market Analyst in London Capital Group in London and in Shanghai. She returned to Swissquote Bank as Senior Analyst in 2020, and launched her own website ipekScope.com in 2025.