Rise

The strong rise of 18.8 cents by October futures going into the holiday weekend was about the only rationale for higher prices in most of the cash market Tuesday as weather fundamentals were decidedly mild for early September in most areas.

Prices continued to rise by mostly small amounts Tuesday as temperatures tended to increase slightly in most areas and the market got some extra support from a 10.7-cent increase by October futures from a day earlier.

The mad dash to tap the massive natural gas and oil shales across North America has begun to cut into the bottom line as service costs rise, Encana Corp. executives said last week.

The mad dash to tap the massive natural gas and oil shales across North America has begun to cut into the bottom line as service costs rise, Encana Corp. executives said Wednesday.

The mad dash to tap the massive natural gas and oil shales across North America has begun to cut into the bottom line as service costs rise, Encana Corp. executives said Wednesday.

A 5.4-cent rise in May futures on the previous Friday was abetted by moderately chillier weather that developed over the weekend and the return of industrial demand from its typical weekend hiatus in causing prices to range from flat to about a dime higher at nearly all points Monday.

A 5.4-cent rise in May futures on the previous Friday was abetted by moderately chillier weather that developed over the weekend and the return of industrial demand from its typical weekend hiatus in causing prices to range from flat to about a dime higher at nearly all points Monday.

As a Gulf Coast trader had expected, Tuesday’s rise of 13.7 cents in February futures was able to boost cash prices “a little bit” Wednesday — but just barely. The market-supporting frigid weather of recent weeks was becoming just a memory for many people; although lows around freezing or less remained in the forecasts for much of the East through the Midwest and Plains into the Rockies and most of Canada, they were considered a return to “seasonable” conditions for mid-January.

Prices continued to fall at nearly all points Wednesday, although a couple of cash traders agreed that quotes tended to rise during later deals. Some regions had forecasts of colder weather as the upcoming week approached, but the overall lack of really low temperatures, especially for the last week of November, combined with the extra negative impact of a longer-than-normal holiday weekend on industrial load to ensure a softer market.