Concert

May natural gas futures rose Tuesday as traders saw the market trading in concert with other energy futures but noted that it was still confined to a trading range. At the close May natural gas was up 12.4 cents to $4.262 and June had gained 12.0 cents to $4.310. May crude oil partially recovered from Monday’s $2.54 drubbing and added $1.03 to $108.15/bbl.

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), in concert with state regulators, would like to “get there first before Congress” with “some sort of guidance document” or a “simple federal regulation” aimed at increasing the safety record of natural gas distribution pipelines, said OPS Associate Administrator Stacey Gerard last Tuesday.

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), in concert with state regulators, would like to “get there first before Congress” with “some sort of guidance document” or a “simple federal regulation” aimed at increasing the safety record of natural gas distribution pipelines, said OPS Associate Administrator Stacey Gerard Tuesday.

In concert with a fear-driven rally in the nearby crude oil pit, Nymex natural gas futures catapulted 37 cents higher Monday to $6.231, dragging most of the subservient natural gas cash market with it. Cash prices were up 5-20 cents on average across the board with some of the larger increases in the West where a spring heat wave was driving up demand.

Ending a five-session string of advances, the natural gas futures market turned lower Wednesday as traders lightened their long positions in sympathy with losses in the nearby crude oil pit and ahead of the release of fresh gas storage data Thursday. And while bears were undoubtedly awakened by April’s 19-cents sell-off and $5.375 settlement, the bulls fully expect nearby support to hold and provide the market with a springboard to higher levels.

In concert with the downtrend now in its seventh week, the natural gas futures market stumbled lower Monday as traders returned from the weekend to weather forecasts suggesting the month of March would blow in more like a lamb than like a lion.

In concert with a one-two combination of bullish private and governmental weather forecasts, the natural gas futures market spiked briefly above the $7.50 mark Wednesday as non-commercial fund traders reversed to the long side of the market. As it turned out, that may have been an expensive decision because prices tumbled Wednesday afternoon nearly as quickly as they had risen.

In concert with gains in the nearby crude and heating oil pits, natural gas futures proceeded higher for the seventh straight session Friday as locals hunted for sell stops and funds covered shorts. Buying was concentrated in the winter months, which advanced an average of 22.7 cents during the session. By comparison, the 2004 summer strip languished near unchanged, down a half-cent for the day.

After slipping lower Wednesday morning in concert with weaker crude oil futures, the natural gas futures market stair-stepped higher in the afternoon to post a positive close for the session. Although slight, the 0.8-cent advance was the fifth-straight daily advance for the November contract. It finished at $5.148, up nearly 60 cents from last Thursday’s $4.565 low.