According to our analysis there was a potential of 146 pips/ticks potential profit out of the following 4 events in May 2026. The potential performance in 2025 was 1,828 pips / ticks.

May 2026

Cumulative potential, indicative performance May 2026, please see all releases below.

Total trading time would have been around 5 minutes! (preparation time not included)

You can click on each release for detailed information.

2026 News Trading Update: DOE (EIA) and PPI Reports Continue to Drive Fast Futures Market Moves

May 2026 delivered another active stretch for futures news traders, with several U.S. economic and commodity releases producing sharp short-term market moves. Across petroleum, natural gas, and inflation data, our analysis found meaningful tick movement shortly after key reports were released.

The strongest move in this period came from the DOE Petroleum Status Report on May 6, 2026, when crude oil moved 57 ticks in 40 seconds. Natural gas also remained highly responsive to DOE Natural Gas Storage Report data, moving 39 ticks on May 7 and 30 ticks on May 28. The U.S. BLS Producer Price Index report on May 13 also triggered a notable move in US500 futures, with the market moving 5 points, or 20 ticks, in 37 seconds.

Together, these events added to a potential 2026 performance figure of 911 pips, compared with 1,828 pips in 2025.

DOE Petroleum Status Report: Crude Oil Moves 57 Ticks on May 6

The DOE Petroleum Status Report released on May 6, 2026, produced the largest move in this group. According to our analysis, light sweet crude oil moved 57 ticks in 40 seconds following the report.

The underlying EIA data pointed to a tighter petroleum market. For the week ending May 1, U.S. commercial crude oil inventories fell by 2.3 million barrels to 457.2 million barrels. Although crude stocks remained about 1% above the five-year average for this time of year, the weekly draw showed that supply was being pulled lower as refinery activity remained strong.

Refineries operated at 90.1% of operable capacity, with crude oil refinery inputs averaging 16.0 million barrels per day. Gasoline and distillate production both declined slightly, while imports also moved lower. Crude oil imports averaged 5.5 million barrels per day, down 273,000 barrels per day from the previous week.

Fuel inventories also tightened. Motor gasoline inventories fell by 2.5 million barrels, leaving stocks about 4% below the five-year average. Distillate fuel inventories declined by 1.3 million barrels and stood about 11% below the five-year average.

The price data reinforced the market pressure. WTI crude stood at $105.38 per barrel on May 1, up $6.96 from the previous week and sharply above the year-ago level. Retail fuel prices also jumped, with regular gasoline rising to $4.452 per gallon and diesel increasing to $5.640 per gallon.

For traders, the report combined several market-moving elements: falling crude inventories, lower imports, tightening fuel stocks, firm demand, and sharply higher prices. That mix helped explain the strong short-term reaction in crude oil futures.

Natural Gas Storage Report: 39-Tick Move on May 7

Natural gas also showed strong sensitivity to DOE storage data. On May 7, 2026, the DOE Natural Gas Storage Report produced a 39-tick move in natural gas within 44 seconds.

For the week ending May 1, working natural gas in underground storage rose by 63 billion cubic feet, reaching 2,205 Bcf. Inventories were 75 Bcf higher than the same week in 2025 and 139 Bcf above the five-year average.

The report showed a generally comfortable storage position as the market moved further into injection season. Most regions posted gains, while the Mountain region recorded a small 2 Bcf withdrawal. The East region added 29 Bcf, the Midwest added 23 Bcf, and South Central added 9 Bcf.

One of the most notable details was the strength of inventories in the western regions. Mountain storage remained 48.2% above the five-year average, while Pacific storage stood 39.6% above the five-year average. By contrast, the East, Midwest, and South Central regions were much closer to normal.

The report suggested that the U.S. natural gas market was entering May with a healthy storage cushion. While national inventories were not excessively high, they were comfortably above both year-ago levels and the five-year average.

U.S. PPI Report: US500 Moves 20 Ticks on May 13

The U.S. BLS Producer Price Index report on May 13, 2026, also produced a fast futures market reaction. According to our analysis, US500 futures moved 5 points, equal to 20 ticks, in 37 seconds following the release.

The April 2026 PPI report showed a sharp acceleration in wholesale inflation. Final demand prices rose 1.4% on a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, following increases of 0.7% in March and 0.6% in February. That marked the largest monthly gain since March 2022.

On a year-over-year basis, final demand prices rose 6.0%, the largest 12-month increase since December 2022.

Services were a major contributor. Final demand services rose 1.2%, with trade services margins up 2.7% and transportation and warehousing services surging 5.0%. Freight costs were especially important, with truck transportation of freight contributing to increases across both final and intermediate demand categories.

Goods prices also rose sharply. Final demand goods increased 2.0%, driven heavily by energy. Final demand energy prices jumped 7.8%, while gasoline rose 15.6% and accounted for more than 40% of the increase in final demand goods prices.

Core producer inflation also strengthened. The index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services rose 0.6%, the largest increase since October 2025. Over 12 months, this core measure increased 4.4%, the largest gain since February 2023.

For equity index futures, the report mattered because it pointed to broader inflation pressure across energy, freight, trade margins, services, and intermediate goods. The data complicated the inflation outlook and likely contributed to the sharp short-term move in US500 futures.

Natural Gas Storage Report: 30-Tick Move on May 28

Natural gas produced another significant move later in the month. On May 28, 2026, the DOE Natural Gas Storage Report triggered a 30-tick move in natural gas within 97 seconds.

For the week ending May 22, U.S. working natural gas in underground storage increased by 92 Bcf, bringing total stocks to 2,483 Bcf. Inventories were 21 Bcf higher than the same week in 2025 and 144 Bcf above the five-year average.

The weekly injection was broad-based across all major Lower 48 storage regions. The East region added 28 Bcf, the Midwest added 34 Bcf, the Mountain region added 3 Bcf, the Pacific region added 6 Bcf, and South Central added 21 Bcf.

At the regional level, Mountain and Pacific inventories remained especially strong relative to historical norms. Mountain storage stood 35.7% above the five-year average, while Pacific storage was 30.9% above the five-year average.

The 92 Bcf build left total U.S. storage within the five-year historical range and above the five-year average heading into the summer cooling season. While the national storage position remained comfortable, the size of the injection and regional details still produced a meaningful short-term futures reaction.

Bottom Line

May 2026 showed continued opportunity across futures news trading, especially around DOE energy reports and U.S. inflation data.

The DOE Petroleum Status Report on May 6 produced a 57-tick crude oil move as inventories tightened and fuel prices surged. The DOE Natural Gas Storage Reports on May 7 and May 28 produced 39-tick and 30-tick moves, respectively, as traders reacted to storage builds and regional inventory details. The U.S. PPI report on May 13 triggered a 20-tick move in US500 futures as wholesale inflation came in hot across headline, core, goods, services, freight, and energy components.

According to our analysis, these events contributed to 911 pips of potential performance in 2026, compared with 1,828 pips in 2025.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Always conduct thorough research and consider seeking advice from a financial professional before making any investment decisions.

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