How will Microsoft and Amazon be affected?

Higher energy costs will squeeze their profit margins as they heavily rely on data centers.

What is the expected timeline for the crisis?

The investor expects the impact to begin within six months.

Are there companies that could benefit from this crisis?

Energy companies like EQT Corporation may benefit from higher natural gas prices.

Expert Warns Natural Gas Shortage Could Squeeze Microsoft, Amazon, Data Centers

An investor predicts that natural gas shortages will drive up energy costs for data centers, putting Microsoft and Amazon in a tight spot within six months, similar to the memory chip shortage that impacted cloud giants.

July 22, 2026

2 min read

Source: 24/7 Wall St.

According to 24/7 Wall St., an investor predicts that natural gas shortages will drive up energy costs for data centers, putting Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) in a tight spot within six months, similar to the memory chip shortage that impacted cloud giants.

Details

The investor points to rising energy demand from data centers, especially with the growth of AI, facing a supply crunch in natural gas. This could lead to a sharp increase in energy prices, squeezing profit margins for companies like Microsoft and Amazon that heavily rely on data centers.

Context

These predictions come as the natural gas industry faces challenges in ramping up production, while demand from data centers accelerates. In contrast, the memory chip industry experienced a severe shortage in recent years, leading to higher prices and delays in data center expansions.

What It Means for Investors

Investors should closely monitor natural gas market developments, as any shortage could impact the performance of major tech companies. Energy companies like EQT Corporation (EQT) may benefit from higher prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rising demand from data centers, especially for AI, is facing challenges in increasing natural gas production.

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This article was rewritten in Wrqti's editorial style based on information from the original source above. Content is informational only — not investment advice.