The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an injection of 61 Bcf natural gas storage for the week ended April 9, coming in below median estimates and driving Nymex natural gas futures into the green.

eia storage april 9

The latest figure was below the 68 Bcf build EIA recorded in the year-ago period but above the five-year average injection of 26 Bcf.

“It was warmer than normal over most of the U.S. besides the Southeast, especially so across the Midwest,” NatGasWeather said. Still, weak weather demand was countered some by strong U.S. liquefied natural gas volumes and pipeline exports to Mexico.

Ahead of the EIA report, the May contract was flat at $2.618/MMBtu, extending the sideways trading of a day earlier. Futures were down only one-tenth of a cent on Wednesday as...