With Hurricane Delta posing a threat to export operations along the Gulf Coast, natural gas futures were down in early trading Thursday. The November Nymex contract was off 7.8 cents to $2.528/MMBtu at around 8:40 a.m. ET.

AM markets

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), at 8 a.m. ET Delta was about 425 miles south of Cameron, LA, an area battered by Hurricane Laura in August. 

“Delta is moving toward the northwest near 15 mph, and this motion with a reduction in forward speed is expected today,” the NHC said. “A turn to the north is forecast to occur by late tonight, followed by a north-northeastward motion by Friday night.”

NHC projections early Thursday had the storm on a collision course with Louisiana, putting much of the state’s coast, along with part of the...