Natural gas futures continued to slide early Friday, falling below the $7 mark as traders and analysts continued to mull the implications of a larger-than-expected weekly inventory build. The October Nymex contract was down 15.6 cents to $6.933/MMBtu at around 8:55 a.m. ET.

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday reported a 103 Bcf injection into U.S. natural gas stockpiles for the week ended Sept. 16, a print that topped both consensus and historical comparisons. The year-earlier injection was 77 Bcf, while the five-year average for the period is an 81 Bcf injection. 

Total Lower 48 natural gas underground storage stood at 2,874 Bcf as of Sept. 16, down 332 Bcf (minus 10.4%) versus the five-year average.

Analysts at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. (TPH)...