Moderately

Cash prices saw a few instances of flat to moderately higher numbers Tuesday amid an overall slippage that ranged from 2-3 cents to about 30 cents. The sell-off in the futures market slowed Tuesday with the near-month contract dropping only 6.6 cents to $7.586. Quotes were generally only a few pennies lower in the Northeast with slightly larger drops in the Midcontinent, Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, but some western points slid more than 20 cents.

Prices were mixed but mostly moderately higher in the East Friday as a bit of “storm hype” and the previous day’s screen advance managed to trump slightly milder temperatures and the weekend decline in industrial load. Meanwhile western markets, which are essentially immune to tropical storm price impacts, fell at nearly all points except for flat showings by El Paso-Permian and intra-Alberta quotes and a Waha gain of about a quarter.

A majority of the cash market was able to post moderately higher numbers Wednesday based on what traders said was mostly prior-day screen support, since weather and storage fundamentals remain generally bearish. However, several western points were flat and one segment of Northwest Pipeline plunged a dollar and a half due to a major transportation constraint.

A majority of points were moderately softer Wednesday, although quite a few others were flat to as much as about a nickel higher. An impending decline in power generation load as cooler weather returns to the Midwest and Northeast starting Thursday were cited as the primary cause of declines ranging from 2-3 cents to nearly 20 cents. Most of the dips were in single digits.

On a day in which most of the market moved moderately higher as cold weather began to spread its reach into the South and parts of the West, Northeast citygates recorded triple-digit plunges Thursday after two previous days of spiking as high as $25.50. Non-Northeast price movement was generally small in ranging from a couple of pennies down to about 15 cents higher, but a few scattered points saw gains from about 20 cents to a little over half a dollar.

Quite a few points, mostly in the Midcontinent/Midwest and West regions, were moderately higher Wednesday, but except for a few other gains elsewhere, prices failed to see the price rally that some had expected to be generated by an impending bout of severe winter weather in northern market areas.

Based largely on Tuesday’s screen run-up and to some extent on moderately increasing heating load in the West and some northern areas, swing prices rose Wednesday from a little less than a dime to about 45 cents. All but two points recorded double-digit gains.

Based largely on Tuesday’s screen run-up and to some extent on moderately increasing heating load in the West and some northern areas, swing prices rose Wednesday from a little less than a dime to about 45 cents. All but two points recorded double-digit gains.

Flat to moderately lower pricing dominated the cash market Monday, with larger losses at Midwest/Northeast citygates and some single-digit gains in the Midcontinent, Southwest basins and Southern California border breaking up the overall trend.