European gas prices ease as storage levels remain high

They are set to drop sharply from the end of the week amid planned maintenance at several fields and processing plants.

Meanwhile, demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia is rising to refill storages there after a hot summer, Daniel Hynes, senior commodities strategist at ANZ Bank, said in a note.

Europe and Asia compete on price for shipped LNG supply, with rising demand in one region typically supporting prices in rival markets as well.

(Reporting by Nora Buli in Oslo; Editing by Jan Harvey)