Natural gas traders shrugged off a cooler change to forecasts over the weekend, sending prices rallying early Monday ahead of prompt month expiration. The expiring July contract was up 5.7 cents to $3.553/MMBtu at around 8:50 a.m. ET. August was up 5.6 cents to $3.576.

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

There are “conflicting forces at work” in the natural gas market to start the week, according to analysts at EBW Analytics Group.

Above-normal national cooling degree day (CDD) totals are expected for mid-July, and strong liquefied natural gas (LNG) feed gas volumes are expected to continue, according to the firm.

“But the cool spell expected heading into the July Fourth holiday shifted cooler over the weekend, causing the 15-day forecast to lose more than 4 CDD compared to last Friday,” the EBW...