UK natural gas prices rose above 140 pence per therm on Monday, recovering part of the losses from the previous week amid uncertainty over the normalization of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Oman remained short of a final agreement over the weekend after Tehran renewed a lengthy list of demands for Washington as conditions for a full reopening of the strategic waterway, indicating any immediate relief for gas supplies could remain limited. Although Iran indicated that a deal was close, it cautioned that this did not mean the strait would reopen imminently, while again ruling out any direct negotiations with the US. With a deal still elusive, disruptions to LNG shipments through the key waterway are likely to persist, delaying cargoes from major exporters such as Qatar. The ongoing delays have kept global supply balances tight, intensifying competition with Asian buyers for available cargoes and hampering Europe’s winter stockpiling efforts.