Bolstered by continued expectations for robust July cooling demand, natural gas futures advanced in early trading Wednesday. Heading into its first session as the prompt month, the August Nymex contract was up 13.0 cents to $6.700/MMBtu at around 8:50 a.m. ET. 

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

The overnight runs of the American and European weather models maintained hotter trends from runs earlier in the week, continuing to show “numerous Bcf” in added demand, according to NatGasWeather.

“The pattern for next week is forecast to remain hot over most of the southern two-thirds of the U.S. with highs of 90s to lower 100s,” the firm said. “The overnight data maintained a hot U.S. pattern continuing July 10-13, although it does shift the hottest portion of the heat dome over the west-central U.S., thereby...