Higher

July natural gas is expected to open 4 cents lower Thursday morning at $2.81 as traders digest healthy estimates of government storage data but note greater risk to the forecast than normal. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

July natural gas is expected to open 4 cents lower Thursday morning at $2.81 as traders digest healthy estimates of government storage data but note greater risk to the forecast than normal. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

Physical gas for Tuesday delivery was mostly higher in Monday trading as weakness in New England markets was unable to offset widespread gains in the Marcellus, Gulf, Midcontinent and California.

December natural gas is expected to open 11 cents higher Wednesday morning at $4.24 as traders see no end to cold weather patterns in sight, and technical analysis points higher. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

October natural gas is set to open a penny higher Wednesday morning at $4.00 as traders discount expected hefty storage builds and assess the likelihood of a technically-based advance. Overnight oil markets rose.

Baker Hughes Inc. expects North American exploration to increase through the rest of this year, lifted by the surge in Permian Basin development, which is showing no signs of slowing.

July natural gas is set to open 3 cents higher Thursday morning as traders discount estimates of an increase in storage inventories that are well above historical norms and as they factor in expected heat. Overnight oil markets surged.

June natural gas is set to open 2 cents higher Friday morning at $4.38 as traders see bears unwilling to add additional short positions before the extended holiday weekend. Overnight oil markets rose.

June natural gas is set to open unchanged Tuesday morning at $4.80 as traders look to see if emerging cooling load can enable June to hold the pivotal $4.80 level and perhaps move higher. Overnight oil markets rose.