Spain's Naturgy hit by coronavirus impact on natural gas demand

Spanish utility Naturgy reported a 42% fall in first-quarter core earnings, squeezed by slumping gas prices and coronavirus-related demand erosion.

A global glut of liquefied natural gas (LNG), of which Naturgy has long been a major buyer, now has even fewer takers as economies hunker down to help to stem the spread of a virus that has infected more than 2 million people.

The company said that lower gas demand in Spain and Latin America in March weighed on its first-quarter bottom line.

Naturgy’s first-quarter net profit fell to 199 million euros ($216 million) from 341 million euros a year earlier. ($1 = 0.9216 euros) (Reporting by Isla Binnie and Inti Landauro Editing by David Goodman )