Energy Market Review and Lookahead: What has driven energy prices during the second quarter of 2026?
Power markets have faced real pressure in recent weeks, as temperatures climbed to extreme levels.
Energy prices are shaped by constantly changing factors and their ripple effects across the globe.
An energy expert can help you navigate this complexity from an informed perspective. This starts with a clear picture of what’s been driving recent movements.
Inspired’s quarterly Energy Market Review and Lookahead unpacks the key factors behind recent electricity, gas and carbon movements, where the market stands now, and what could lie ahead.
What has been driving the energy market in Q2 2026?
Over the recent weeks, scorching temperatures across the UK and Europe have underlined how disruptive extreme heat can be for power markets.
Geopolitical uncertainty has also continued, with an initial easing of tensions following the US-Iran interim agreement in June giving way to renewed risk as broader peace talks stalled.
Gas shipping confidence has also remained weak, with wariness over Hormuz transit persisting as insurers say negotiations have not reduced war risks. Unclear Iranian transit terms, potential mine threats and persistent volatility continue to constrain any significant recovery in tanker traffic.
What does this edition cover?
- What’s happened over the past few months?
- What has this meant for different contract types, including near-curve gas and electricity and seasonal baseload contracts?
- What are our current buying recommendations?
If you prefer more regular updates, Inspired also offers a range of energy insights from daily and weekly snapshots to monthly webinars diving deeper into UK wholesale energy prices.
The information in our Energy Market Review and Lookahead is correct at the time of publication. Download your free copy by filling in the form below.
