Cues

The cash market saw approximately evenly mixed movement Monday, with prices largely taking their cues from regional forecasts of either colder weather Tuesday or continued moderate conditions. It also responded to the conflicting influences of the previous Friday’s 14.3-cent loss by April futures and industrial load returning from its usual weekend decline.

Taking most of its cues on Wednesday from crude oil and the election results, natural gas futures started strong before fading during the middle part of the session. However, December rallied in the last few hours of trading to settle up 18.5 cents at $8.752.

Taking most of its cues on Wednesday from crude oil and the election results, natural gas futures started strong before fading during the middle part of the session. However, December rallied in the last few hours of trading to settle up 18.5 cents at $8.752.

As sources had correctly predicted, the market took its price cues Tuesday from the previous afternoon’s screen gain instead of continuing general weakness in fundamentals. The result was double-digit increases between about a dime and a little more than 20 cents at most points. The notable contrary position was in the Rockies, where flat to moderately lower numbers prevailed.