The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Aug. 28, edition that Methanex ($72.55 (Canadian)) is anticipating gas reductions in Trinidad in the second half of 2014 to be higher than those experienced in the first half of the year. The Globe's Stephanie Chan and Darcy Keith write that the curtailment is due to upstream platform maintenance and tie-in activities, and the continuing mismatch between upstream commitments to supply National Gas Co. and downstream demand from NGC's customers. Methanex now estimates curtailments to its two Trinidad facilities to be in the range of 20 per cent for the second half of 2014. Cowen & Co. analyst Charles Neivert says the curtailments are only a temporary blip and Methanex's long-term growth story remains intact. He says: "We view the news as only slightly incremental as we were already assuming about 10-per-cent curtailments in the region. Additionally, the impact of lost volume may be partially offset by increased methanol pricing from the supply constraint." Mr. Neivert maintained an "outperform" rating and $78 (U.S.) price target. BMO analyst Joel Jackson upgraded Methanex to "outperform" in The Globe on June 25. The shares were then worth $67.61.