Natural gas prices advanced for a second day, as traders on Tuesday absorbed a favorable shift in weather forecasts and record demand for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. The April Nymex gas futures contract gained 28.7 cents day/day and settled at $5.187/MMBtu. May rose 29.3 cents to $5.227.

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At A Glance:

  • U.S. export demand deepens
  • Weather shifts in bulls’ favor
  • Production recovers ground

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. gained 27.5 cents to $4.560.

The weather outlook on Tuesday shifted from decidedly bearish for natural gas demand to closer to seasonal for the final stretch of March and the beginning of next month.

“It is basically a normal pattern from this weekend on into the early part of April, with a good deal of variability across the nation,”...