Gain

Only a gain of about a nickel by the Florida citygate, spurred primarily by Florida Gas Transmission’s issuance of an Overage Alert Day (see Transportation Notes), and flat quotes at Westcoast Station 2 were left out of Thursday declines ranging from a little less than a nickel to about 20 cents. Despite having a major storm with plentiful snowfall due to linger through the weekend, the Northeast recorded most of the biggest losses.

Only a gain of about a nickel by the Florida citygate, spurred primarily by Florida Gas Transmission’s issuance of an Overage Alert Day (see Transportation Notes), and flat quotes at Westcoast Station 2 were left out of Thursday declines ranging from a little less than a nickel to about 20 cents. Despite having a major storm with plentiful snowfall due to linger through the weekend, the Northeast recorded most of the biggest losses.

March natural gas futures rebounded from Tuesday’s 15.8-cent slide to gain 7.6 cents on Wednesday. The prompt-month contract closed the regular session at $5.386.

March natural gas futures rebounded from Tuesday’s 15.8-cent slide to gain 7.6 cents on Wednesday. The prompt-month contract closed the regular session at $5.386.

Cracking down on firms that are attempting to manipulate the natural gas futures market for financial gain, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) late last week levied $750,000 in fines on three Canadian companies for “wash” and prearranged trades.

Cracking down on firms that are attempting to manipulate the natural gas futures market for financial gain, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Thursday levied $750,000 in fines on three Canadian companies for “wash” and prearranged trades.

Cracking down on firms that are attempting to manipulate the natural gas futures market for financial gain, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Thursday levied $750,000 in fines on three Canadian companies for “wash” and prearranged trades.

The screen gain of 14.2 cents a day earlier helped the continuing cold weather in several regions to boost prices in nearly all of the cash market Thursday. Lows in the 20s and teens remained in the Friday forecast for a majority of locations in the Northeast, Midwest, Upper Plains, Rockies and Western Canada. Eastern Canada was getting even colder conditions, with lows on either side of 10 predicted for Montreal and Toronto.

A blueprint for a climate change and energy bill that sponsors hope will gain the 60 votes necessary to pass the Senate in 2010 was released Thursday by the three lawmakers who have been leading the charge for legislation: Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT). Separately, Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) on Friday unveiled a competing proposal to create a “cap and dividend” structure that would give dividends to U.S. taxpayers.