Nymex natural gas futures traded lower ahead of the April contract’s expiration at the close, pressured by a lack of demand and with a storage overhang expected to widen through the shoulder season.

markets

At A Glance:

  • April futures expire 4.0 cents down
  • May futures move into lead near unchanged
  • Texas cash prices pull into the black

The expiring front-month contract rolled off the board at $1.575/MMBtu, 4.0 cents down on the day, after a brief run to an intraday high of $1.647. May futures slipped into the lead position at $1.788, shaving less than a penny off its prior-day settlement.

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. advanced 5.0 cents to $1.355, supported by West Texas, where gains tugged most hub values back to the plus side.

“The Freeport LNG export terminal being down for...