In another show of extreme volatility, natural gas futures came tumbling down on Friday as U.S. traders gave more weight to bearish fundamentals on the home front rather than escalating fears of a global supply shortage this winter. The November Nymex gas futures contract capped the week at $5.619, off 24.8 cents day/day. December plunged 22.8 cents to $5.763.

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At A Glance:

  • Cooler fall temps drag down futures
  • U.S. storage picture improves
  • Cash mixed

Spot gas prices also declined in much of the country ahead of what was expected to be a mild weekend. Led by steep decreases on the East Coast, NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. dropped 20.0 cents to $5.050.

Despite Friday’s pullback, natural gas prices have proven resilient. In the latest show of buoyancy, Nymex futures — still...