Natural gas futures clawed back some of their recent losses through midday trading Friday as the market continued to mull a mix of fundamental factors, including restrained production, mild weather and plump inventories. Meanwhile, little buying interest for weekend and Monday delivery had cash prices falling hard.

Here’s the latest:

  • May Nymex futures at $1.804/MMBtu as of 2 p.m. ET, up 3.0 cents

The front month probed as high as $1.823 shortly after 1 p.m. ET before pulling back. After a 6.7-cent sell-off in Thursday’s trading, prices remained well off the previous session’s highs.

  • Latest Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) count showing further declines in U.S. natural gas drilling

Total natural gas-directed rigs in the United States fell to 110 as of Friday, down two for...