Resembling

Master limited partnerships (MLPs) are expanding organically and through acquisitions like never before, resembling the build-`up of the energy merchant sector in the late 1990s, according to a new report by Fitch Ratings. The sector also has caught the eye of private equity firms, which are buying ownership stakes in MLPs, which may change the outlook for the industry.

Finding almost no heating load of any consequence remaining and with nothing resembling summer heat to kick-start power generation demand surfacing yet outside parts of the desert Southwest, prices continued to drop Friday. Thursday’s slightly bearish storage report and the typical weekend slump in industrial load contributed to the cash market’s decline.

Master limited partnerships (MLPs) are expanding organically and through acquisitions like never before, resembling the build-`up of the energy merchant sector in the late 1990s, according to a new report by Fitch Ratings. The sector also has caught the eye of private equity firms, which are buying ownership stakes in MLPs, which may change the outlook for the industry.

Despite weather conditions more resembling mid-winter than nearly spring being due to persist into the weekend in the Northeast and much of the Midwest, this week’s three-day price climb reversed direction Thursday. Northeast citygates, which had led the trek higher earlier in the week, saw the biggest drops of up to nearly 80 cents Thursday. Elsewhere, a couple of flat points crept their way into overall declines ranging from about a nickel to a quarter.

With the natural gas futures market resembling a game of limbo over the past few sessions, some market watchers are now asking “How low can you go.” Continuing the sloping trend from last week, December natural gas futures shed another 35.4 cents to settle at $7.60.

With the natural gas futures market resembling a game of limbo over the past few sessions, some market watchers are now asking “How low can you go.” Continuing the sloping trend from last week, December natural gas futures shed another 35.4 cents to settle at $7.60.