Natural gas futures forged higher on Friday as forecasts suggested mild fall weather and its dampening effect on demand could shift colder next month. The November Nymex contract settled at $5.280/MMBtu, up 16.5 cents day/day. December gained 11.5 cents to $5.461.

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At A Glance:

  • Forecasts point to stronger demand
  • Storage supplies mount
  • Cash mixed

Cash prices traded in a narrow range amid mixed near-term weather demand. NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. ticked up 2.5 cents to $4.940.

NatGasWeather noted that benign autumn conditions were likely to persist through the end of the month – aside from regional storms — minimizing weather-driven demand overall. Forecasts on Friday, however, tilted colder for early November in the Midwest and Northeast, giving traders reason to believe...