Regular

Continuing the run of recent strength, April natural gas futures cruised to a high of $7.715 during Wednesday’s regular session before expiring at $7.558, up 5.5 cents. With the April contract now being spoken about in the past tense, focus turns to May, which gained 5.7 cents to close at $7.672.

The April natural gas futures contract dropped 17 cents Tuesday to close at $7.533 in its first regular session as prompt-month as traders brought the contract more in line with March’s $7.547 expiration a day earlier. Traders see gas futures in an in-between phase, where the winter season is approaching its end but summer temperature and hurricane forecasts have yet to really hit the radar. Some market experts are eyeing an end to the weather-driven advances of the last few weeks and anticipate a robust injection season.

Erasing almost all of Tuesday’s gains, March natural gas futures dropped 12.6 cents to close at $7.241 in a quiet regular session Wednesday as traders decided to take it easy ahead of Thursday’s potentially record-breaking natural gas storage report for the week ended Feb. 9.

Natural gas futures staged a rally overnight Sunday and into Monday’s regular session as traders assessed forecasts for more seasonal January weather and a short-term positive technical outlook. After reaching a high of $6.560 on Monday, February natural gas ended up closing at $6.378, up 19.4 cents from Friday’s close.

Pressured by early-week warmth and some significant weakness throughout the petroleum futures sector, December natural gas futures, in their first regular session action as front month, dropped significantly lower on Monday, recording a low of $7.400 before settling at $7.416, down 41.1 cents from Friday’s close.

After gapping lower in the overnight Nymex Access trading session, July natural gas opened Wednesday’s regular session at $6.150 and explored lower depths from there as traders absorbed the fact that summer heat is making false starts in a number of regions across the country. The prompt month broke below the psychological $6 level in early trading and bounced on either side of the number before recording a low of $5.940 and settling at $5.974, down 41.1 cents on the day. That brings the week’s losses so far to 64.9 cents.

Despite venturing as high as $6.340 in its first regular session as prompt month as a number of eastern metropolises began to heat up, July natural gas futures on Tuesday ended up recording a loss. The contract closed near its $6.100 low on the day at $6.123, down 3.1 cents from Friday.

Although prompt-month natural gas was able to put in a high of $7.070 during the regular session Friday, ultimately, June futures dropped lower in the afternoon. The contract hit a low of $6.750 before settling at $6.775, down 13.1 cents on the day, but 22 cents higher for the week.

Calgary-based Nexen Inc.’s natural gas marketing business is a consistent leader in the Mastiogale customer satisfaction surveys. And for several years, it’s been a regular on NGI’s Top 20 gas marketer surveys. The secret to its success? Focus.