The Energy Information Administration (EIA) stunned the natural gas market with a much smaller-than-expected 18 Bcf net injection into storage inventories for the week ending Aug. 18, providing a boost to futures prices that have struggled this week.

At A Glance:

Natural gas futures continued to slide midweek with the threat of another tropical disturbance keeping traders on guard even amid the ongoing heatwave suffocating much of the Lower 48. The September Nymex gas futures contract settled Wednesday at $2.497/MMBtu, off 6.3 cents on the day. October futures were down 6.0 cents to $2.592.

Spot gas prices were mostly lower, with the significant sell-off continuing in the West. NGI’s...