AXIOS (Amy Harder) - The state of U.S. natural gas prices as Middle East unrest continues
America's natural gas bounty is acting like a moat, largely shielding the U.S. from price spikes while much of the world reels from escalating unrest in the Middle East . Why it matters: Natural gas hasn't, historically, drawn the same headlines as the more volatile oil markets. But it's increasingly central to the economy — including powering the AI boom . Yes, but: The moat isn't impenetrable. And if substantially more American natural gas gets exported, it could raise heating and electricity bills. The big picture: Fueled by fracking, the U.S. has been the world's largest natural gas producer since 2011. Since 2022, it's also been the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the fastest-growing segment of the global gas trade.…