Weekly natural gas cash prices got some support as a late-winter freeze fueled demand, but an anticipated warm-up that is expected to quell heating needs in the week ahead kept momentum in check.

NGI’s Weekly Spot Gas National Avg. for the March 7-11 period fell 26.0 cents to $4.580.

With the coming spring conditions, the April Nymex futures contract slumped through the first three sessions of the week before scratching out a gain on Thursday. The prompt month then settled at $4.725/MMBtu to close the trading week on Friday, up 9.4 cents on the day but down 6% from the prior week’s finish.

Demand was steady during the week as a frigid weather system blanketed swaths of the nation’s midsection early in the period, delivering chilly rains and freezing temperatures....