CME Group Henry Hub natural gas futures hit new open interest record

CME Group announced that its Henry Hub natural gas futures reached a new open interest record of 1,807,497 contracts on September 1, 2026, surpassing the previous record of 1,801,183 contracts set on November 8, 2024.

According to the company, trading in physically-delivered Henry Hub futures typically rises ahead of winter months, with open interest usually peaking around November each year. In 2026, as clients positioned for geopolitical shifts and winter volatility, open interest rose faster than usual and to record levels.

“Clients are turning to CME Group’s energy futures and leading options markets to manage their risk as a Super El Niño reshapes weather-driven demand, record LNG output reorders global gas flows, and the Middle East creates ongoing supply uncertainty,” said Peter Keavey, Global Head of Energy and Environmental Products at CME Group. “We remain focused on delivering around-the-clock, on-screen liquidity that market participants need to hedge effectively in any environment.”

CME Group’s energy business had a record first half of 2026, with average daily volume climbing 11% to 3.3 million contracts.