In a huge turnaround of the cash market spurred by the arrivalof weather that finally appeared more wintry than springlike,prices were skyrocketing Monday from the abyss into which they hadsunk prior to the weekend. To say that double-digit increasescharacterized trading was a gross understatement when many pointswere rising by 50-60 cents or more.
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November Prices Dive; Bidweek a Little Softer
The cash market for the concluding days of November hadsomething in common with the famed cliff divers of Acapulco:breathtakingly steep plunges. “You better hope you sold your gasearly” Wednesday because there was almost no demand for the longholiday weekend, a marketer said, “and you just can’t cook thoseThanksgiving turkeys long enough [in gas ovens] to boost demand.”
Screen Lifts Bidweek Slightly; November a Bit Down
Essentially nothing had changed in the fundamental demandpicture Tuesday, and late-November cash prices responded with verylittle change themselves. Minuscule softness dominated at mostpoints, and the few declines rarely exceeded a nickel. Sources indiverse regions continued to report unseasonably mild temperatures.
Prices Hit Plateau, But Weekend Weakness Seen
The cash market, seeing essentially nothing in the way ofdirectional influence, went into a holding pattern Thursday withfew points straying any further than 2-3 cents on either side offlat. A screen drop of just under a penny was deemedinconsequential, and even though some market areas were seeingnear-freezing temperatures Thursday, forecasts of warmer weatherfor the weekend through the middle of next week tempered any buyingenthusiasm.
Cash Price Decreases Slow Down to a Crawl
This week’s general price downturn almost came to a haltWednesday, but mild softness remained the norm for most points.Quotes tended to range from flat to down about a nickel. Marketareas were getting colder but not by much, sources said, and thatwas outweighed by further softness in futures. With little toinfluence it, trading activity remains on the quiet side, theysaid.
Rally in November Aftermarket Slows to a Crawl
The upward track of cash prices continued Wednesday, but at asnail’s pace compared to Tuesday’s skyrocketing pyrotechnics. Mostof the new increases were quite meager, ranging from a penny or soto about a nickel. The first significant winter weather that manyareas have seen so far this season was credited with keeping theNovember price rally going, albeit modestly.
Canadian, TCO Prices Resist Overall Softness
Cash market predictions proved accurate again as pricescontinued to slide going into the weekend Friday. It didn’t take arocket scientist to make that call, sources said, as forecasts ofgorgeous weather virtually throughout the nation (and north of theborder too) should lower gas load greatly by encouraging a lot ofoutdoor activity.
Late Futures Rally Caps Quiet Session
The futures market was able to sustain another day of weakercash prices Friday to trade on either side of unchanged on the day.A late rally on weak volume after many traders in New York andHouston had called it a week was the market’s only excitement forthe day and provided the November contract with a 1.4-cent boostgoing into the weekend to settle at $2.109.
Inconsistent Regional Price Patterns Persist
Once again Tuesday the cash market tended to be stronger to theWest and weaker to the East, although neither region was a model ofconsistency. The West had a couple of flat points, while a few inthe East were flat to slightly higher.
Mild Price Rally Is Strongest in Rockies, San Juan
A lot of cash points came close to matching the screen’s rise ofalmost a nickel Wednesday, give or take a penny or two. In additionto the futures influence, there was “a little bit” of cold here andthere to help generate a modest price rally, though still notenough cold to help much, sources said.