Movement

June natural gas futures showed little movement as traders see a market driven by short-covering by funds and managed accounts rather than any fundamental development that could provide a sustainable base for further gains. By the end of the day June had eased half of a penny to $4.693 and July had risen two-tenths of a penny to $4.763. June crude oil dropped 41 cents to $113.52/bbl.

The spot market saw mixed price movement Tuesday, but softening points were in a clear majority. Relatively moderate conditions in most of the Northeast and a reduction of strong heat developing in the western South lowered much of the weather-based load that had lifted nearly all locations a day earlier. Monday’s 6.6-cent drop by prompt-month futures was a further depressant for the Tuesday market.

The market continued to see mixed, mostly near-flat price movement but was showing signs of perking up again by following the previous day’s losses at a majority of points with moderate gains being prevalent Thursday.

The strength of U.S. shale plays was a key driver for increased merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2010, and will continue to fuel the industry’s movement towards upstream assets, according to a report issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers USA (PwC).

The strength of U.S. shale plays was a key driver for increased merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2010, and will continue to fuel the industry’s movement toward upstream assets, according to a report issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers USA (PwC).

Moderate softness dominated a market in which most price movement saw little change either up or down from flat Thursday. A May futures increase of 3.9 cents a day earlier provided only meager support for cash numbers that appeared to be succumbing to an overall dearth of weather-related load instead of following the prior trading day’s screen lead as they have often done in the last week or so.

Moderate softness dominated a market in which most price movement saw little change either up or down from flat Thursday. A May futures increase of 3.9 cents a day earlier provided only meager support for cash numbers that appeared to be succumbing to an overall dearth of weather-related load instead of following the prior trading day’s screen lead as they have often done in the last week or so.

Price movement was minuscule either up or down from unchanged Wednesday, but the market continued to show a tendency for modest softness as moderating weather signaled the approaching end of an especially severe winter.

Price movement was minuscule either up or down from unchanged Wednesday, but the market continued to show a tendency for modest softness as moderating weather signaled the approaching end of an especially severe winter.