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The gains made earlier this week were not sustained yesterday asmost points on GPI’s Daily survey lost between a couple cents and adime. Spot points in the Midcontinent, California and the Rockieswere the exception, however, as most registered flat to decreasesof just a penny or two; some even managed small increases.

In response to the rapid consolidation of the natural gas andelectricity industries, the head of a major gas pipelineassociation said he plans to initiate talks soon with otherWashington D.C.-based energy trade groups about possibly merginginto one organization.

In response to the rapid consolidation of the natural gas andelectricity industries, the head of a major pipeline associationsaid he plans to initiate talks soon with other WashingtonD.C.-based trade groups about possibly merging into oneorganization.

Avista Energy, Avista Corp.’s trading and marketing affiliate,has decided to head west to find its fortune. The unit announced achange of corporate direction last week and will now embark on awestern-region based energy marketing and trading effort as opposedto its former national focus.

Avista Energy, Avista Corp.’s trading and marketing affiliate,has decided to head west to find its fortune. The unit announced achange of corporate direction yesterday and will now embark on awestern-region based energy marketing and trading effort, asopposed to its former national focus.

For the third time in as many days the futures market gavetraders a head fake on the open, only to retrace during theremainder of the session. However, while the price action Mondayand Tuesday was down, then up, the opposite was true yesterday.Feeding off gains achieved during Tuesday’s Access trading session,the December contract notched its $2.905 high moments after theopen and proceeded to chop lower throughout the day. But thoselosses proved inadequate to overcome earlier gains and that enabledthe prompt contract to break its string of declines at 4 days,finishing instead up 3.6 cents at $2.873.

Despite stronger cash prices and the surprise formation of a newtropical system in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend, natural gasfutures prices tumbled lower yesterday as traders continued toliquidate long positions. The October contract was the hardest hit,slipping 8.9 cents to finish at $2.519. With many Nymex localsobserving the Jewish Holiday Yom Kippur, estimated volume was heldto an extremely light 53,174 contracts.

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) wasted little time inpicking successors to fill positions that were left vacant by thesudden departures of two staff members.

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) wasted little time inpicking successors to fill positions that were left vacant by thesudden departures of two staff members.