Bearish

Physical natural gas for Wednesday delivery gained ground in Tuesday’s trading, led for the most part by a firm screen and supportive eastern power prices.

Natural gas futures worked higher Thursday morning and had traders scratching their heads after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a storage build that was somewhat greater than what the market was expecting.

Physical natural gas and futures both staged hefty advances Thursday. Outside of a few points in the Rockies, nearly all market locations gained by a few pennies to a nickel or more.

Although when natural gas prices traded at 13-year lows of $1.611/MMBtu on March 4 it may have seemed that the industry as we know it may have come to an end, a study of the industry reveals that current low prices, layoffs, and lack of capital investment represent instead the end of a 15-year cycle.

Natural gas futures worked lower Thursday morning after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a storage withdrawal that was about in line with what traders were expecting.

Physical natural gas and futures raced higher in financial and physical trading on Thursday.

Natural gas prices had the trajectory of a coyote in a Saturday morning cartoon for the week ended Feb. 19. Not one market point traded in positive territory and after the dust settled the NGI Weekly Spot Gas Average was down a not-so-healthy 54 cents to $1.77.

Natural gas futures advanced Thursday morning after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a storage withdrawal that was greater than what traders were expecting. Following a lower open, futures, however, were unable to move past Wednesday’s settlement.

Physical natural gas prices for Friday delivery took it on the chin in Thursday’s trading as near-term weather forecasts for eastern and Midwest population centers combined with weaker next-day power pricing to send spot prices rattling lower.