Retreated

Cash natural gas prices overall retreated on average about 3 cents, but if the high-flying Northeast delivery points are subtracted from the calculations, the decline comes out closer to a nickel. California and the Midwest were noted soft spots. At the close of futures trading November had fallen 4.9 cents to $3.437 and December was down 0.7 cent to $3.767. November crude oil added 24 cents to $92.09/bbl.

The cash market retreated on average by 6 cents Thursday as traders elected to do their deals ahead of the release of important government inventory figures. Eastern and Northeast points took the biggest hits as forecasters were calling for unseasonably cool weather to infiltrate the Midwest and Ohio Valley, while losses in California were limited as a heat wave was expected to stay through the weekend..

Physical natural gas prices across the country retreated on average by about 7 cents Monday, but Northeast locations had to endure double-digit losses, and in southern California prices were flat to a couple of cents higher. At the close of futures trading the April contract was down by 5.5 cents to $2.269 and May futures had fallen 5.2 cents to $2.373. April crude oil dropped $1.06 to $106.34/bbl.

All cash points retreated Tuesday with most sliding in double-digits as the physical market caught up with Monday’s late-session slide in futures and adjusted for continued weather moderation for much of March.

February natural gas reacted to a weakening weather outlook and retreated under $3 again Tuesday. There remains little indication that the storage surplus will stop widening anytime soon, and traders look for continuing weakness. At the close February had fallen 7.0 cents to $2.941 and March had given up 8.0 cents to $2.970. February crude oil rose 93 cents to $102.24/bbl.

November natural gas retreated Friday as traders saw the market in an unstable technical environment and rig count figures showed another double-digit increase in gas drilling. At the close November had careened lower by 11.7 cents to $3.481 and December had fallen 9.6 cents to $3.820. November crude oil rose 39 cents to $82.98/bbl.

October natural gas retreated Tuesday as not all traders are on board with historical seasonal weakness leading to higher prices and the funds and managed accounts being unwilling to push the market lower from present price levels. October lost 3.1 cents to $3.798 and November shed 4.7 cents to $3.885. October crude oil rose $1.19 to $86.89/bbl.

October natural gas fell hard Friday in a sympathetic move with free-falling equity and oil markets. October lost 17.8 cents to $3.872 and November retreated 17.6 cents to $3.990. October crude oil fared as poorly, losing $2.48 to $86.45/bbl.

September natural gas retreated Tuesday as traders factored in a mild change in the temperature outlook. At the close September had fallen 3.3 cents to $4.155 and October had eased 3.4 cents to $4.156. September crude oil fell $1.10 to $93.79/bbl.