The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an 18 Bcf injection into natural gas storage inventories for the week ending Aug. 12, about half of what the market had expected.

Natural gas futures already were higher on the day early Thursday, as traders appeared to expect a low-side injection. The September Nymex futures contract was trading at $9.323/MMBtu, up about 8 cents, in the minutes leading up to the EIA report. As the print crossed trading desks, the prompt month shot up to $9.428. By 11 a.m. ET, September gas was trading at $9.415, up 17.1 cents from Wednesday’s close.

“That was out of left field,” said Enelyst managing director Het Shah of the lower-than-expected storage injection.

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