Ones

Natural gas producers won’t be the only ones feeling pain from the world’s bloated gas supply and anemic recession-driven demand outlook. North American coal producers are poised for a hit as the gas market rebalances on the back of fuel switching from coal to gas for power generation, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts wrote in a recent report.

Natural gas producers won’t be the only ones feeling pain from the world’s bloated gas supply and anemic recession-driven demand outlook. North American coal producers are poised for a hit as the gas market rebalances on the back of fuel switching from coal to gas for power generation, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts wrote in a recent report.

Falling points modestly outnumbered rising ones Wednesday as forecasts of cooling trends in several areas vied for influence with warming trends in other areas, continuing hot weather across most of the southern half of the U.S. and a prior-day futures gain of 15.2 cents. Most of the losses were considerably larger than the gains, so overall softness was clearly dominant.

Industrial endusers of natural gas have much to fret about in a world of rapidly escalating commodity prices, but the smart ones know that they can take measures to exert at least some control over their destinies.

Industrial endusers of natural gas have much to fret about in a world of rapidly escalating commodity prices, but the smart ones know that they can take measures to exert at least some control over their destinies.

The market was showing more weakness Friday than it had all week, but rising points still outnumbered falling ones by approximately two to one. A potent winter storm was leaving the western end of the South behind and targeting the entire East Coast for the weekend, which supported Gulf Coast and Northeast gains. But warming trends caused most points in the Midcontinent and West to drop.

Successful energy companies in the years to come will be the ones that meet consumers’ needs — not necessarily those that produce the most oil and natural gas or electricity, a leading industry consultant said last week.

In the future, successful energy companies will be the ones that meet consumers’ needs — not necessarily those that produce the most oil and natural gas or electricity, a leading industry consultant said Wednesday.

While declines continued at most points, the cash market was relatively stronger on Wednesday as the drops were smaller than the ones on Tuesday in nearly every case. The day also recorded a few more points than before showing moderate upticks.