With overnight forecast trends mixed, and with traders seemingly keeping their powder dry ahead of the release of updated government inventory data, natural gas futures were hovering close to even early Thursday. 

As of around 8:50 a.m. ET, the January Nymex contract was up 4.0 cents to $6.470/MMBtu. February was up 4.9 cents to $6.269.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is set to reveal net changes to Lower 48 natural gas storage for the week ended Dec. 9. The agency’s report, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET, will show much lighter-than-average weekly withdrawal from stockpiles, surveys show.

A Reuters survey of 10 analysts produced a median 47 Bcf withdrawal estimate and a range from minus 33 Bcf to minus 54 Bcf. Nine withdrawal predictions submitted to Bloomberg...