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Thursday marked the first time bears took firm control of themarket all week, as most price points fell between a nickel and 10cents. A large majority of the deals were made through the weekend,as many trading offices were expected to be sparsely populated onGood Friday.

Most cash points continued their rise yesterday, but thepredominantly bullish sentiment among traders that was evidentearlier in the week showed signs of cracking. Few gains exceededmore than a nickel, while the scattered declining points fell nomore than a penny or two.

In a move to attract investors, Southern Company plans to createa separate company for most of its non-utility businesses, sell19.9% of the company to the public through an initial publicoffering and spin the rest off to shareholders.

Flat pricing dominated much of the swing market Monday, butquotes ranged to about a nickel higher in the Midcontinent/Midwestand Southwest/California regions. Colder Midwest weather and a bitof chill on the West Coast built up some extra demand in thosemarkets, traders said.

The cash market kept rising in most cases Tuesday, but exceptfor some Northeast citygates with gains of about a nickel or more,quotes generally ranged from flat to only 2-3 cents higher.

This week’s moderate bull market came to an end for the mostpart Wednesday as cash prices bowed under the weight of decliningfutures to range from flat to down a little more than a nickel.

There’s a major oil and natural gas boom going on now in one ofthe most unlikely places in the United States – northeasternTennessee.

There’s a major oil and natural gas boom happening in one of themost unlikely places in the United States — northeasternTennessee.

California’s top energy regulator thinks the momentum forrestructuring the state’s natural gas industry has lost most of itssteam. Responding to questions during a break at a statewide energyroundtable in San Diego last Tuesday, Richard Bilas, president ofthe California Public Utilities Commission, said he is unsure whenthe regulators will be able to make recommendations to the statelegislature for further gas unbundling.