Natural gas futures slipped further Friday, led lower by forecasts for benign weather through the end of December. The January Nymex contract settled at $3.690/MMBtu, down 7.6 cents day/day.

future

At A Glance:

  • Weather outlook remains dubious
  • Demand for exports holds strong
  • Cash prices soar in Northeast

A day earlier, the prompt month fell 3.6 cents. February lost 7.6 cents and closed at $3.639/MMBtu on Friday.

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg., in contrast, jumped $1.495 to $5.370 on Friday, propelled by soaring prices in the Northeast ahead of an anticipated blast of winter weather.

Aside from a near-term freeze in the Midwest that was expected to push to the East over the weekend, weather outlooks shifted warmer on Friday, forecasters said. Both the domestic and European models...